Unwritten
by February's Sister
Summary: Callie Forbes was insane...or, at least, that's what everyone thought since she was locked up after claiming a werewolf killed her best friend. Now, after two years, she's back in Mystic Falls and ready to continue on with her life. Unfortunately, no one in Mystic Falls stays in the dark for long.
1. Unwritten

Summary: Callie Forbes was insane...or, at least, that's what everyone thought since she was locked up after claiming a werewolf killed her best friend. Now, after two years, she's back in Mystic Falls and ready to continue on with her life. Unfortunately, no one in Mystic Falls stays in the dark for long.

* * *

 _I am unwritten, can't read my mind,_ _I'm undefined._ _I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, e_ _nding unplanned.  
\- _Unwritten, Natasha Bedingfield

* * *

 _"Sasha!" Callie called as she walked through the forest, shining her light in different directions and hoping she would come across her best friend. "Sasha, where are you?!" She stopped as she came across a large tree with an X carved into it. Sasha's father had put it there as a marker for the two young girls; they weren't supposed to go pas that point without either him or Sasha's mother. Looking behind her, Callie could just barely make out the red of Sasha's parents tent. They were still sleeping, but Callie had to go past the line. Sasha had..._

 _"I'll be quick." Callie nodded to herself. "They won't even know I'm gone." And with that, she walked past the tree and deeper into the dark forest._

 _She had no idea how long she had been walking; finding Sasha had not been as easy as she hoped, but Callie wasn't going to quit- not while Sasha was still out there and potentially in danger._  
 _A twig snapped behind her and Callie gasped as she spun around and shined her light. There was nothing there. With her heart beating three times as fast, she hesitantly turned back around and picked up her pace._

 _"It's just the dark." Callie told herself. "Dad always says that the dark plays tricks on your mind." But then a loud, high pitched scream sounded and Callie jumped in fear. She knew that scream. "Sasha!" She yelled before running off towards it._

 _She ran for only a few moments before she found her friend, but she wished that she hadn't; laying on the cold forest floor with blood covering her ripped arms and torso was Sasha. Her dark brown eyes stared up at the moon and refused to move their gaze. Callie, as afraid as she was, ran to help her friend, but stopped when she heard and saw a man limping out from behind a large tree. He was completely naked with dark hair and pale skin covered in blood. He limped towards Sasha's body until he caught sight of Callie. She gasped and back away when she saw his eyes turn a deep yellow color._

 _"Run..." He gritted out, but Callie was frozen where she stood. Suddenly, a loud snapping sound broke through the air as his leg bent at an odd angle and her fell to the ground. Callie was still frozen in fright. She flinched every time another one of his bones snapped until he looked up at her and, through the agony of his injuries growled at her. "RUN!" He yelled again, this even louder, but it was enough to send Callie running._

 _"Mrs. Franks!" Callie screamed as she ran. "Mrs. Franks!" With how fast she was running, she made it back to the campsite in less than half the time it took her to wander away, but she skidded to a stop when she saw what still left of it._

 _The tents had been shredded apart and the supplies seamed to have been thrown and strewn every which way. There was blood and body parts everywhere and Callie didn't hold in her scream._

 _A loud growl sounded from behind her and Callie turned around to see a large wolf with glowing amber eyes starting back at her with barred teeth and blood covered fur. Instead of freezing in fright like she had earlier, Callie turned and ran straight to the truck that was parked on a few feet away from the campsite- the wolf growling and running for her the entire way._

 _Luckily for Callie, the back door was unlocked and she quickly got inside before shutting and locking the door, causing the wolf to run into it and push the car a few inches backward. Without hesitation, Callie got down from the seat and slipped into the small space beneath it just in time before the glass of the window shattered down on the seat._

"Callie!"

Callie's eyes popped open as she was brought out of her dream by a familiar voice. Immediately, she shot up into an upright position and nearly hit her head against her sisters.

"Whoa!" Caroline barely managed to move out of the way before they collided and saw the way Callie's eyes darter around the room and her chest quickly rose and fell with each pant she took. "Callie," She took her younger sister by the arms, causing her to jump. "Callie, it's me. It's Caroline. You're okay."

Realizing that she was in her room and no longer in the dark forest that was her dream, Callie allowed herself to calm down. "I'm sorry." She apologized.

"Bad dream?" Caroline guessed and she nodded. Reaching over to the bedside table, Caroline picked up the small pill organizer and dumped the section for Monday into her own hand before handing it out to her sister with a glass of water. "Here. Mom says these will help."

"Right." Callie nodded. How could she forget about the first of many stipulations that came with her release; those stupid pills.

It had only been a month since Callie Forbes had been released from Blue Meadow Psychiatric facility in Atlanta, where she had resided for exactly two years, four months, three weeks, and five days. She was supposed to be in longer since the psychiatrist at the hospital thought that she was still disturbed and holding onto her fantasy about what had happened in the woods all those years ago. Thankfully, however, the psychiatrist who had referred her mother to the hospital had decided that Callie was ready to come back and that keeping her locked up would be damaging to her reintegrating into society.

Grabbing them, Callie went to take them before she noticed an odd looking red pill. "Is this a Skittle?"

Caroline nodded. "And tomorrow, you get a M&M. Like when we were kids." Handing Callie the glass of water, Caroline stood up from the bed. "Now take your pills and get dressed. Today is a very important day." Then she left, trusting the Callie would actually take her pills.

For one short second, Callie thought about throwing them out- all they did was make her compliant and- according to her doctor- happier, but in the end took them. The last thing she needed was to be the depressed psycho on her first day of school in two years. Psycho was bad enough.

After drinking her water, Callie went into her closet to find something to wear. Her wonderful sister had taken it upon herself to buy Callie new clothes seeing as the only ones that would be in her closet were for a thirteen year old- Caroline had even come home early from cheer camp to be there when Callie arrived home from the hospital. The only problem with letting Caroline pick out her clothes was that she and Callie didn't have the same sense of style- well, more like Callie had no sense of style considering the hospital had a strict policy on what could be worn. Her style for the past two years had consisted of a gray sweater and gray sweatpants.

Looking at the closet full of pastels and lace, Callie sighed. "You need this." She told herself quietly. "You need to dress happy- you need to act happy...you need to be happy."

So there she was; ten minutes later dressed in a knitted, cream colored sweater over a button down and a pair of white jeans. She had tried to make an effort with her hair and put it in a braid going down her back.

"Hi," She said into her mirror with a smile. "My name is Callie Forbes. Yes, I did go to a mental institution." She said, answering the unasked question. "But now I realize that the stress of my traumatic ordeal caused me to imagine things." She gave another smile. "Yes, I'm much better now." Letting out a breath, Callie nodded before going to put on her boots. Had she stared into the mirror a few moments longer, she would've seen a flash of her sisters hair through the crack between the door and the door frame.

* * *

There was nothing quite like the first day of high school. Callie had dreamed of the day where she would finally become a student at Mystic Falls High and take over the empire of gossip, fashion, and cheerleader hierarchy that her sister had spent her entire high school career creating.

But that had been two years ago when she was thirteen. Now, at fifteen and the main source of gossip, Callie just wanted to get through the pitying looks, laughter, and judgement as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, that seemed to be asking for too much.

"So, I got mom to use the Sheriff card to get you switched to the same lunch hour as me so that you won't have to sit alone." Caroline chattered away, purposefully paying no mind to the looks that people were sending her sister. Unfortunately, Callie hadn't inherited the confidence gene that every other Forbes seemed to have. "You'e got an extra free period after. You'll have to spend it alone for now, but maybe after I get the cheerleading team up and running, you can spend it practicing..." Callie had tried to listen, she really did, but at some point she seemed to block out the sound of Caroline's voice. She tried to tune back in, but her attention was pulled away once more as Caroline walked her past the trophy case in the front hall of the school. Of course, the first place trophy Caroline and her friends on the cheerleading team had won in Freshman year sat front and center, but Callie's eyes just seemed to glide past it and settled on a different trophy.

While it was small in size, it was also a golden first place trophy, but that wasn't what caught Callie's eye; it was the photo in front of it.

At only thirteen years old, Callie and her best friend Sasha had entered the high school science fair- well, technically they were apart of Caroline's experiment (which they had done for her). With Sasha's interest in robotics and Callie's overall knowledge, they had made a flash that ran on the body heat of the hand holding it. They had won first place and gotten their picture in the newspaper. Caroline had been generous enough to let them take all the credit, seeing as how she was just the way to get them into the science fair.

The picture taken of them that day was the only one Callie had of her best friend when she was in the hospital. It was the photo that Sasha's dad had gotten printed on a T-shirt because he was so proud. It was the photo that sat on the mantle of the fireplace in Callie's house and the photo that Sasha had put on their self made time capsule that was currently buried somewhere in the woods.

"Callie!" The blonde jumped and turned to see her sister looking at her expectantly. "Did you hear anything I said?"

"Uh, sorry." She shook her head before glancing back at the photo. "I'm, uh...I'm gonna go get some air." Then, before Caroline could stop her, Callie started down the hall. Caroline moved to go after her, but stopped when she saw the photo that Callie had been staring at.

At thirteen, Callie had been a mess with braces, frizzy blonde hair that had never seen a pair of scissors, and a love for Care Bears that rivaled whoever created them. She had been the biggest dork that Caroline had ever met and she had barely paid attention to her sister during that time.

"I miss you." She sighed before walking off to find her sister.

* * *

After leaving Caroline, Callie had pushed her way through the first door she could and found herself behind the school in, what she could only guess was, the loading docks.

There were a dozen or so teenagers littered around smoking, drinking or making out, but Callie paid them no mind. She could practically feel a panic attack coming on. Digging into her bag, she quickly located the bottle of pills inside and pull them out before twisting off the top. Ignoring that instructions that told her to only take one, she tossed back two before putting them back in her bag and swapping them out for her bottle of tea. Pulling off the top, she took a couple a gulps. "Are you okay?"

Lowering her bottle, Callie whirled around to see a guy. He was around her age with slightly floppy dark brown hair and matching eyes. Despite the fact that his lanky body was shrouded in black, she recognized him immediately. "I'm fine." She insisted and he raised an eyebrow. "Really, Jer. Promise." His eyebrows furrowed at that.

"Do I know you?" He asked and Callie rolled her eyes.

"Ha-ha." She deadpanned. "Very funny. Come one, Jer. It's me." Nothing. "Callie." He shook his head. "Callie Forbes, AKA the Fireside Girl to your Driftwood Scout? I snuck out after curfew every Halloween and helped you egg Mr. Tanners house!"

"Callie?" She nodded. "I haven't seen you in forever. Not since they shipped you off to the nut house." That's what Callie had always liked about Jeremy; he never thought about what he said before he said it. He was one of the only people Callie knew wouldn't walk on egg shells around her. "I was supposed to come visit after the introductory period or whatever that crap was, but you got your visitation rights taken away."

"Yeah," She sighed. "Caroline visited me and she got upset because the hospital wouldn't let her to give me my Care Bear and she knew that I couldn't sleep without it and then I started crying because I wanted to go home and the doctors decided that it was best if I didn't have any more visitors for a while."

"I wrote you tons of letters, but you never wrote back." He told her. "I thought I was boring you so I had Elena decorate them with glitter."

"Did you know that you can turn fold a piece of paper into a sharp knife?" She asked back. "I didn't, not until I demanded to know why I couldn't be given my mail. They didn't even give it back to me when I left. They're mailing them to me."

Jeremy just shook his head in disbelief. Not that she hadn't been given her mail, but that she was there. "I can't believe you're here." He admitted, astonished. "A lot happened while you were gone."

She nodded. "Yeah, Caroline told me about your parents when I was allowed calls. I'm sorry, Jeremy."

"It's not your fault." He shrugged. "And it's not like anyone can change that."

"How's Elena?"

"Bottling up her feelings and trying to...I don't know, be there for me, I guess, but between her and our Aunt Jenna, it just makes me feel-"

"Smothered." He nodded. "So, if you won't let Elena be there for you or Jenna...how do you cope?" Digging a hand into the pocket of his hoodie he produced an orange bottle. "Drugs?"

"Didn't I just see you down happy pills with iced tea?" He asked, putting the pills away at her judg-y tone.

"Yeah, but I have a perscription." She pointed out, crossing her arms.

"For what?"

"Prozac." Jeremy scoffed before going into his jeans and pulling out a small baggie. Taking her hand, he dropped the baggie into it.

"My stuffs better." He promised. Jeremy expected her to laugh in his face and give him back the pills; that what thirteen year old Callie would've done. She had been thoroughly scared straight by D.A.R.E warnings her mother had shoved down her throat about the weed man after she found a cigarette in her room.

"Do they help with panic attacks?" Was what he got instead.

"They help with everything." Callie put the pills in her pocket before looking back up at Jeremy.

"I'm not a druggie-"

"Neither am I." He assured her just as the bell for first period rang. "C'mon," He offered her his hand. "I'll help you get through the rest of the day and you can help me."


	2. You Don't Know About Me

_You know I don't care what you think. I get high, don't say anything 'cause I wake up, this is my body, this is my world. Can't we try to change everything?_  
\- You Don't Know About Me, Ella Vos

* * *

With the help of Jeremy and his welcoming present, Callie had managed to get through her first day of school with few problems. While she had expected the snickers and side glances that she did receive from a few people, Callie was surprised that the majority of people that she saw came up and actually spoke to her. They asked how she was doing, how her stay at Blue Meadow had been, and gave her well wishes. While she was grateful, Callie had been on edge with so many eyes on her and had required a few more of Jeremy's happy pills. The smile on both Caroline and her mother's faces more than made up for it.

After school, Caroline left to do whatever she did with her free time and Callie was picked up by their mother who took her to the Sheriff's station. Despite the fact that they were happy with the progress she was making, Liz and Caroline never left Callie alone- the only alone time she got was when she was asleep. Of course they tried to be subtle about it, but Callie had always been observant.

She didn't complain though; Callie knew how worried they were about her and she knew they had a right to be, so she put up with it. That's how she ended up sitting in one of the chairs outside Liz's office doing what little homework she had. Her teachers- not including Mr. Tanner who Caroline had warned about- didn't want to overwhelm her and had given her a light workload.

It was dark by the time that her mother was ready to admit that the family dinner she had planned that night with Callie and Caroline wasn't going to happen and left the confines of her office.

"Why don't you go to the Grill?" Liz suggested as Callie put away her school work. "Caroline and her friend should be there."

"I think I'd rather go home." Callie replied as she stood up. Her mother gave her a look. "Mom..."

"I'd just feel a lot better if you went to the Grill with Caroline." Liz insisted and Callie sighed. "I'll get one of the deputies to take you." Callie sighed but didn't refuse. Instead, she picked up her bag from the floor, only for it to tip and let everything spill out. Including the small baggie of pills that Jeremy had given her. "Oh! Let me help."

"No!" Callie yelled, unnecessarily loud and Liz gave her an odd look. "I mean...I can get this." She insisted as she subtly slid the baggie behind one foot with the other. "Why don't you just go get that ride for me? I'll text Care to let her know I'm coming."

"Okay..." Liz lingered, but only for a few more seconds before she disappeared. Letting out a breath of relief, Callie quickly picked up the pills and shoved them to the bottom of her bag, letting everything else pile on top as she re-packed.

The Deputy that her mother had gotten, Deputy Chance, was one of the new recruits having been transferred from Atlanta just the week before. She was a tall woman, around 5'9, with dark red hair that she kept in a low ponytail. Callie didn't know why, but knowing that there was someone so new in Mystic Falls that they needed help finding the oh-so popular Grill made her feel better about being gone for so long.

"Thank you for the ride." Callie said to the woman as she exited the car. Deputy Chance waved her away, watching the blonde until she entered the Grill.

It was busy- busier than Callie ever remembered it being when she was younger- this being the first time that she had been inside the town favorite building since she got home. Wherever she looked there were people; people laughing, people eating, people playing pool- just so many people. Callie wondered if he mother remembered that large crowds made her nervous meaning that a panic attack was well on it's way.

"Hey," A voice said and Callie turned to see Jeremy. "Are you okay?"

Callie tried to nod, but she was sure that she looked like a defective Lizzie McGuire bobble head. "Yeah," She told him. "I just, um..." She swallowed. "I just haven't been in a place as busy as this yet. Being around so many people takes time to get used to." She was sure that there were more people inside the Grill at that moment than there had been at school during lunch.

"Lets go outside." He suggested, not waiting before he took Callie by the hand and led her out the door she had just come in through. Once they were outside, Callie took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Does this happen a lot?"

Callie shook her head. "It used to." She told him. "Like, all the time. In the beginning everything scared me; loud noises, the dark- but now it's just people...lots of people."

"If you knew there were gonna be a lot of people here, then why'd you come?" He questioned and she sighed.

"Because my mom think's that I'll go crazy again and get sent back to Blue Meadow if I'm alone for even a few seconds." She admitted. "She doesn't trust me with myself."

Jeremy didn't know what to say to that; despite the fact that he had broken down crying when he learned of his parents and Elena's accident, there had never been a time where he hadn't been trusted to be alone. Sure, there had been times where Jenna had insisted on being around him- knowing that if he was alone he'd end up crying himself to sleep- but the option of being alone had always been available. He spent a majority of his time alone these days and Callie didn't even have that.

"That sucks." Is what he ended up with and she nodded. "Why don't we go over to my house?" He suggested suddenly and Callie raised an eyebrow. "What? You deserve some time away from Caroline and your mom. It's not like you'll be alone."

"...Does loving the idea of being away from my family make me a bad person?"

Jeremy shook his head. "If Elena and Jenna had been hovering over me like I'm sure Caroline and your mom had been doing you...I'm sure I'd lose my mind."

She let out a chuckle. "Didn't you hear?" She asked and he raised an eyebrow. "I lost my mind two years ago."

* * *

"Nice room." Callie complimented as Jeremy closed the door behind them. "It's all dark and brooding...just like you."

"I try." He walked over to his bed and sat down. "So, now you're alone- well, mostly." He pointed out. "What do you want to do?"

"I...I don't know." She admitted. "It's been a while since I haven't had people watching me. What do you usually do when you're alone?"

"Nothing you'd condone." He told her and she shook her head.

"C'mon, I want to know." Jeremy raised an eyebrow. "Really, tell me."

He stared at her for a few moments before shrugging. "I usually smoke weed and listen to music or draw," He said. He expected her to object, or at least make a face. She just stood there, waiting for him to finish his statement. "Usually all three."

"...Okay," She said finally and he was sure he looked surprised. "Let's do it."

"Really?" He asked, dubiously and she nodded.

"Jeremy, I've been locked up in a psychiatric hospital for the past two years." She reminded him. "I'm not exactly in a position to judge your choice in extracurriculars." She walked over and sat down next to him on his bed, dropping her bag on the floor. "And, seeing as how you're my only friend at the moment- or, really, the only one who still speaks to me, I think I can partake in the occasional joint. Who knows? Maybe it'll help me loosen up."

"It's your funeral." Jeremy pointed out as he leaned back on his bed and grabbed a boot that lay turned over next to his bed. He pulled out the plastic baggie that held one lone joint and dropped the boot before sitting up. "Your mom will kill you if she finds out."

Callie scoffed as he pulled out a light. "Good, maybe then I'll get upgraded to a five year old from a four year old on her emotional chart. I'm getting a little tired of being treated like I'm some fragile little flower. I swear my mother would cut up my dinner for me if Caroline didn't beat her to it." Jeremy took a drag from the joint and slowly let the smoke out, making rings in the air. "Cool..." He handed her the joint. "Can you teach me how to do that?" She asked before taking a hit. Unfortunately, she took a little too much and breathed in a little too deep and ended up choking. Jeremy pulled the joint away.

"Maybe you should try mastering breathing before we go to smoke tricks." He suggested, patting her back as she coughed. He patted her back gently. "Are you okay?"

Callie took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah," She said. "I just didn't think it would be so hard to smoke." She took the joint back and Jeremy opened his mouth to protest, but she simply said, "Practice makes perfect, right?" Raising the joint back up to her mouth, Callie took a smaller, slower drag just as the door opened causing her to swallow the smoke in surprised.

"What the hell is going on?" Elena demanded as Callie hacked and coughed the smoke up and Jeremy patted her back. Spotting the joint in Callie's hand, Elena stomped into the room, taking it from the young girl's hand. "Weed, Jeremy?" She demanded and her brother rolled his eyes as Callie looked up at Elena guiltily. "And your pressuring Callie into doing drugs with you? Great." She sighed. "My brother's not just a pothead, but a pusher too."

"Elena, chill-" Jeremy started and Elena scoffed.

"You want me to chill?" She demanded. "How about you chill? And why don't you do it in the back of Sheriff Forbes' cruiser after she arrests you for possession?" Jeremy looked like he couldn't have been less afraid of her threat, but it did the trick for Callie.

"Elena, please don't call my mom!" She pleaded, standing up, but the brunette was unsympathetic to her plea. "She'll kill me!"

"Maybe you should've thought about that before you decided to light up with Jeremy." Elena turned and started towards the door, but Callie rushed around her to stand in her way.

"Elena, please!" Callie was desperate. "She'll literally kill me- No! She'll do worse than kill me; she'll think I can't handle life outside of Blue Meadow and she'll send me back until I'm eighteen!" Elena's throat tightened. While she knew that the fifteen year old was right, Elena needed to send a message to her brother that his actions had consequences. She hated thinking it, but Elena knew that Callie being sent back to Blue Meadow might just be what Jeremy needed to get better. "Elena, please. I-I won't do it again! I swear! Just don't tell my mom!"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry." She said. "But, this isn't okay. Caroline would never forgive me if I let Jeremy corrupt you." Stepping around the blonde, Elena continued towards the door.

"Elena!" Jeremy yelled, standing up, but she kept going. "Elena!" With Callie frozen in the middle of his room, Jeremy rushed after his sister. "Elena, stop!" Following her downstairs, Jeremy caught up to her just in time to see her dialing a number on one of the landline phones in the kitchen. "Elena, don't do this!"

"What is going on in here?" Jenna demanded as she entered the kitchen through the back door. "I leave for two minutes and you two are screaming at each other when I get back!"

"Elena's being a bitch, that's what's happening!"

"Jeremy!" Jenna yelled before looking at Elena. "Elena, explain."

"I came home from the Grill and found Jeremy smoking pot in his room with Callie." Jenna's eyebrows furrowed. Callie Forbes? She hadn't been around much when Elena and Jeremy were children- still being a child herself- but she knew that half of the pictures of Jeremy in the house had Callie in them.

"And now Elena's being a bitch and calling Sheriff Forbes when she knows that she'll send Callie back to Blue Meadow." Jeremy continued. Jenna looked at her niece. "Elena, I'll stop." He promised and she lowered the phone from her ear. "I'll stop with the pot and the pills- I promise. Just don't do this. I can't be the reason that Callie gets sent back." She still looked unsure and Jeremy pulled out the last card he could that would get her to rethink her decision. "Elena, if you do this, I will never forgive you."

"Elena, don't you think that's a bit harsh?" Jenna asked and Elena opened her mouth to defend her actions, but Jenna held up a hand. "I know that you don't want Jeremy smoking pot- I don't either, but Callie's a good kid. She just made a mistake. Don't you think we could let it go just this once?"

"Elena, please." Jeremy pleaded and her eyes snapped back to him. "I'll stop, I swear. Just...don't do this." He begged. Elena stared at her brother for the longest time, just wishing that she could believe his promises. She stopped for a moment to think of what could come from the phone call she was about to make. Best case scenario; the Sheriff didn't send Callie back to Blue Meadow and Jeremy would see the error of his ways and try and get better. Worst case scenario; Callie got sent back to the psychiatric center and Jeremy would hate her and fall deeper into his depression- not to mention the fact that Caroline would never forgive her for sending her sister away.

In the end, Elena could only think of her brother getting better and not being the person he was now.

Pressing the button to call the number she had dialed, Elena raised the phone up to her ear. "Elena, please." Jeremy begged again. The line picked up after only one ring.

"Sheriff's station." A man's voice stated.

"Sheriff Forbes', please." She requested and Jeremy glared at her before stomping out of the kitchen and back up the stairs.

"Jeremy!" Jenna called as she followed him, but stopped in the doorway to look at her niece. "I know that you're just trying to do what you think is right, but this wasn't." She said. "It wasn't the right call."

* * *

Callie didn't say anything as her mother paced in front of her and ranted. She hadn't said a word since Elena had gone to call her mother. Jeremy hadn't stopped apologizing that entire time she was in the Gilbert house, not stopping until Callie's mother came to pick her up.

Caroline had been home when Liz and Callie arrived home and she had been quick to get on the phone with Elena when her mother told her what happened. Callie hadn't said one word. That had been almost an hour ago when Liz started her rant. Now, Caroline stood in the corner of the living room, waiting for their mother to finish.

"This is my fault." Liz said suddenly and Callie's head snapped up.

"Mom-"

"It is," She insisted. "This is all my fault. Dr. Murphy said that you were okay to leave the hospital, but I just knew that you weren't. I knew you weren't okay- that Dr. Anderson was right when he told me that you should've stayed longer, but I just wanted you home so badly and now this happens! One month home and you're smoking pot with Jeremy Gilbert!"

Caroline tried to step in. "Mom-" She started, but Liz just cut through her.

"No, Caroline!" Caroline flinched at the volume of her mother's voice. "You can't make excuses for her- neither of us can." She took a deep breath and ran her hand through her hair. "I think...I think it's best if Callie goes back to the hospital."

"...What?" Caroline asked, her voice low. "Mom, we just got her back."

"I know," Liz nodded. "But Dr. Anderson said that taking her out of the hospital halfway through her treatment plan for Callie was through would be harmful to her progress. I can admit that she was right... I have to." Caroline said nothing. "It's late. I'll call Dr. Anderson in the morning-"

"No," Callie said suddenly and Liz looked to see that her youngest daughter was now standing. "I'm not going back to Blue Meadow and you can't make me."

"Callie, I'm not doing this to punish you-"

"I know you're not, but that just makes it worse." Callie interrupted. "You think you're helping me by sending me back, but you're not. I can't- I won't leave my home again. I won't leave school or Caroline or Mystic Falls. I won't go back to Blue Meadow just to come back home in two years and be stranger to the place where I grew up and to the people I grew up with."

"Cal-"

"Do you know what'll happen if you send me back?" Callie interrupted once more, but didn't give her mother a chance to answer. "I'll spend two more years in that place forgetting who I am and when they finally decide that I'm 'cured' I'll come back to Mystic Falls to the bedroom that belonged to the fifteen year old that I never got to be because I did one stupid thing and got sent away, but this time the kids at school won't be as nice as they are now. Right now I'm the girl who went on a sabbatical or something because I saw my best friend and her family get murdered and screamed werewolf, but if I leave...if I leave, two years from now I'll be the freak who had to be shoved back into the nut house because I couldn't be around normal people."

"That's not why you're going back!" Liz tried, sounding so desperate for Callie to realize.

"But that's what they'll say!" She yelled back. "Because no one will care about the real reason I got sent back- the only thing they'll care about is that the town freak is back and they'll have something to gossip about. So no, I can't go back!...I won't."

Liz shook her head. "I'm sorry." She said. "But that's not your decision." She turned, intent on going to her room, but Callie wasn't done. She had one more card to play.

"Then I want to go live with Dad." Liz stilled. "And don't even try to tell me that I can't because he'll let me if it means that I don't go back to Blue Meadow. I know he didn't even want me to go the first time, so...yeah." She finished lamely.

When her mother turned around, Callie almost took everything back. She looked so tired and they both knew that Callie didn't want to live with her father and his partner Steven, but she would if it meant she didn't have to go back to Blue Meadow. Liz sighed. "Just go to bed, Callie." She ordered softly before leaving the living room. A few moments later, both girls heard their mothers bedroom door close.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Caroline asked softly and Callie let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Not a clue."

* * *

The next morning, Callie expected to be woken up by her mother with the news that Dr. Anderson was expecting them at Blue Meadow, but, instead, it was Caroline with her daily pills, a yellow M&M, and a warning that her waffles would get cold if she didn't get up soon.

After dressing in grey, white collard dress, yellow sweater, ankle boots, and tinted stockings that Caroline had laid out, Callie brushed through her hair, putting it in a low ponytail before going to the kitchen. By then, the frozen waffle Caroline had prepared was cold, but she ate it anyway. After politely refusing a cup of coffee, Callie followed Caroline to the backdoor- pausing to see the post-it note that was stuck on the calendar.

 **Don't forget**  
 **Appointment with Dr. Murphy after school**  
 **I'll drive you**  
 **-Mom**

Pulling it off, Callie shoved it in her bag before rushing after Caroline.

* * *

The car ride to school was a quiet one, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence.

Once they got to school, Caroline said her goodbyes to Callie before going off to find her friends. Callie waited until she was out of sight before remembering her way to the door that led out to the Stoner Pit. As per usual, it was filled with a dozen or so students, but it didn't take Callie long to spot the one that she was looking for.

Jeremy Gilbert sat on the loading dock smoking a stolen joint, with headphones on and music blasting loudly from them as he glared out at the rest of the stoners who would most likely spend the entire day in the hangout. Letting the door close behind her, Callie walked over and sat next to him, letting her feet dangle over the edge. Seeing movement in the corner of his eyes, Jeremy turned to tell whoever it was to piss off, but froze when he saw that it was Callie.

"What are you doing here?!" He asked, pulling off his headphones. "I thought your mom was sending you back to Blue Meadow?"

"She tried." Callie assured him. "But I threatened to go live with my dad. I thought that she was going to send me back anyway, but..." She shrugged. Jeremy stared at her for a moment before he finally said something.

"I'm sorry for what Elena did." He apologized and Callie shook her head.

"Don't apologize for her." She told him. "Because if you apologize, then she'll apologize, and then I'll forgive her and I'd really like to just spend the next couple of days ranting to you about how much of a bitch she is."

"I'm okay with that." He grinned and she smiled back at him before her eyes found their way to the lit joint in his hand. "Oh, I was-"

"Smoking because you were piss off at Elena." She finished and he nodded. He raised the joint up to his lips, only for Callie to pull it away. "Seriously?" He complained, but stopped when she took a drag herself. She held it for half a moment before blowing out the smoke in a pitiful attempt to make a smoke ring. "You realize that you almost got sent back to the nut how because of this stuff, right?"

She shook her head. "But, I didn't." Callie pointed out. "Plus, I'm pretty sure that my mother has been looking for reasons to send me back for the past month. I don't know why, but she doesn't want me to be okay."

"That's not true-"

"Oh, really?" She demanded. "What did your mom do when she caught you smoking pot for the first time?" Jeremy sighed as he tried to remember. "Don't remember? Well, I do. She called my mom because she wanted her to go over to your house and bust you."

"That wasn't even a year ago." Jeremy realized. "How did you know that?"

"Oh, Caroline couldn't wait to tell me that the amazing Elena Gilbert's baby brother was a pothead." Callie laughed. "So, if my mom is gonna try and send me back, then I'm just gonna have to make her realize that I'm fine- that I'm a normal, everyday teenager."

"And you think that this," Jeremy took back his joint. "Is going to make her think you're fine and dandy?" Callie scoffed.

"Of course not." She rolled her eyes. "It just means that we'll have to keep our little hobby on the DL. So, what do you say?" She asked. "Want to trick our sisters and guardians into thinking we're fine while being completely not fine behind their backs?" Pretending to consider, Jeremy took a drag off the joint before passing it back to Callie.

"Sure, it's not like I have anything else to do."

* * *

 **A/N;**

Okay, so you guys can see that, when it comes to Jeremy, I'm not exactly following the script, but isn't that the point of fanfiction? I'm not saying that it'll always be this way; when it comes to Jeremy's future as a hunter and plot devices like that, I'm gonna stick with it, but I'm got a mostly completely different plot in store for Jeremy and Callie.

 **Chapter Fic Rec;**

Pretty Girl by AmericanHoney12 (Vampire Diaries)  
"It's ok pretty girl." He cooed in my ear. "It's only going to hurt for a second." I let out a small cry and felt tears pooling on my cheeks. His hands secured themselves on my upper arms, holding me where I was. I felt his nose move across my cheek and then down my jaw. It stopped at my neck and I heard him sniff. Then came the pain. Damon/OC Elena/Stefan

 **Shameless Begging;**

Please don't forget to review, favorite and/or follow this story. Also, any questions will be answered whether they're in the form of a PM or a review- but a review would be better.


	3. You & Me

Quick A/N; most of you will most likely notice and point out that there isn't Jeremy/Vicki in my story. While I'm not taking her out of my story entirely- mostly because plot demands it- I'm trying to write around her and Jeremy's doomed-from-the-beginning romance. I will, however, be writing it so that everything makes sense. Alright, that's all- also, Stefan finally shows up in this chapter, but he's gonna be doing something that first season Stefan probably would never have done, but I needed it done. Okay, now that's it. Let's go.

* * *

 _And, baby, just please don't go without me,_ _I'm tired of doing it on my own a_ _nd now I'm stuck here thinking what it could be;_ _You and me._

\- You Me, Marshmello

* * *

Elena was the worst person in the world.

Jeremy had pleaded- begged her not to tell Sheriff Forbes about the pot, but she did it anyway because she was certain that Callie going back to Blue Meadow would get Jeremy to change his ways. She had been wrong, though. She realized this now as she spied on Callie and Jeremy doing their geometry homework from the Jack and Jill bathroom between her room and her brothers. Not only was Jeremy putting effort into his rehabilitation and homework, but he was smiling again. Elena had felt the guilt rack her when she saw him and Callie laughing and drinking sodas during the party at the Falls a few nights previously, but she had no one to blame but herself. Jeremy was doing well again and his teachers had called Jenna to praise her for getting him back on track, but the cost for that was the fragile relationship Elena had with her brother. Caroline was refusing to even speak to her- even Bonnie was upset with her. She never said anything, but Elena could see it in her face every time Caroline walked away without acknowledging Elena's presence. She didn't know how she was going to make this up to Jeremy or Caroline. She was hoping that winning over Callie would fix it and if the blonde was anything like she had been at thirteen then Elena didn't have much of a challenge ahead of her; Callie had always been a submissive and easily coerced person.

"Okay," She heard Callie say through the cracked door and peeked through to see the blonde sitting on her legs on the bed next to a lounging Jeremy. "An octagon has-"

"Eight sides." Jeremy answered immediately.

"And a decagon has..." Jeremy said nothing and Callie sighed. "Ten sides." She showed him the flashcard. "Did you even look at these?"

"Yes..." Jeremy claimed. "An hour ago when you called to say you were coming over to study." Callie hit Jeremy on the chest. "Ow!"

"We have a test on Friday." She reminded him. "How are you gonna find the sum measure of a decagon or a nonagon if you don't even know how many sides they have?"

"Well, I'm obviously gonna flunk this test." Jeremy insisted. "So, how about we start studying for the next one?" Suddenly, Callie jumped forward, throwing herself on top of Jeremy and pinning down his left arm while her other pointing at his face.

"You listen to me, Jeremy Ophelia Gilbert-"

"That's not my middle name."

"You will get a B on this test or I will tell show Jenna the photos of you smoking crack on my phone." She threatened. Elena's heart jumped, thinking that Jeremy had traded in his pot for a heavier drug, but he just stared at Callie, unfazed.

"One, I've never smoked crack in my life," Elena let out the breath she didn't know she was holding. "And two, you don't have a phone."

"Okay," Callie nodded, realizing he had a point. "Then I'll show her the Polaroids I took of you wearing Caroline's Freshman Spring Fling dress after you flunked the last history test and lost the bet."

"Okay!" Jeremy raised his free hand up in surrender. "We'll study, but can we at least put on some music that isn't Taylor Swift?" Callie got off of Jeremy slipped down to the floor to gain access to the dozens of CD's that had been spread across the floor in front of his stereo. "I've heard _Fifteen_ six times since you got here."

"We are fifteen, Jer." Callie reminded him as she shuffled through the CD's. "That is our anthem for the rest of the year- or, at least, until one of us turns sixteen." Jeremy propped himself up on his arms and looked down at his friend.

"I will, literally, pay you fifty bucks if you change it to anything but that."

"Done." Standing from the CD's, Callie went out of Elena's vision before coming back with another CD. "I'm gonna need some time to find another anthem, but until then..." She trailed off before putting the CD in. A few moments later, a rock-ish pop song came on

" _And, baby, just please don't go without me,_ " Callie lip synced into a hair brush she had taken from Jeremy's dresser. " _I'm tired of doing it on my own and now I'm stuck here thinking what it could be; You and me. And, baby, just please don't go without me, I'm tired of doing it on my own and now I'm stuck here thinking what it could be; You and me!_ "

Callie jumped on Jeremy's bed, still lip synching into the brush as Jeremy looked on in amusement. For the time being, her brother was okay. That's all Elena had ever wanted since their parents died, she just wished him being okay didn't mean him hating her.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Caroline asked as she looked over her sister's shoulder.

"Move, nosey." Callie bumped her sister away with her hip and Caroline rolled her eyes as she went to the fridge. "Vicki Donovan was attacked at the Falls party a few nights ago, remember?"

"And?"

"And..." Callie continued. "You're friends with her little brother, Matt? Blonde, blue eyes, resting puppy dog face; you do remember him, right?" Caroline rolled her eyes again as she grabbed the creamer out of the fridge and went back to her cup of coffee. "He's probably so worried about Vicki that he's forgetting about himself. I remember when you were twelve and he was pushing you on the swing. You hit him in the face with your boot and fell off the swing. He was so worried about you, he didn't even know his nose was bleeding until I started screaming."

"I don't know why you were screaming," Caroline said. "It was just a little blood."

"He looked like one of those zombies from 28 Days Later-"

"Shh!' Caroline shushed her sister. "You were ten when you watched that. If mom ever found out that you saw that- let alone, I saw it, she'd kill me."

"Why?" Callie shrugged as she spread her peanut butter mixture on the second slice of bread. "It wasn't even that scary. They spent half of the movie in grocery stores and having picnics. If anything, it was actually kinda sweet."

Realizing that her sister didn't remember the move correctly, Caroline decided to leave it. "That was five years ago. What does that have to do with whatever you're doing?"

"Whenever we you, Elena, and Bonnie went over to Matt's to hang out and mom would force you to take me with you, Vicki was always the one who watched me. She used to make me peanut butter and celery and she'd watch Dora or Rugrats with me while you and the others played in Matt's room. I figured he's probably so worried about Vicki that he's forgetting to eat, so I thought-"

"Are you making your peanut butter and banana sandwiches?" Caroline interrupted, whirling around to look at her sister with a face of childish glee. Callie rolled her eyes; Caroline had always loved her peanut butter and banana sandwiches since Callie was old enough to make them. She never made them herself because "Callie makes them taste like Christmas!" Of course this was because Callie mixed cocoa powder, milk, and cinnamon into her peanut butter, but she'd never give anyone her secret.

"Yes, I am." Callie couldn't help but feel smug that there was one thing she could do that Caroline couldn't- other than knowing how to sew (curtesy of Grandma Forbes) and rolling her tongue.

Callie began placing her banana slices over the peanut butter as Caroline slid next to her. "You didn't happen to make any extras for your loving, caring, generous, and amazing big sister, did-" Grabbing the paper bag from beside her on the counter, Callie held it out to Caroline who grinned at her. "You are the best younger sister anyone could ask for." Caroline hugged Callie from the side, peppering her face his kisses. "Love you, love you, love you!"

"Get off of me you, weirdo!" Callie laughed, pushing away her sister. "Go to school. Jeremy's walking me to school today." Pecking her on the cheek one more time, Caroline rushed out of the back door before Callie could throw something at her. "My sister's so weird."

* * *

"You look happy." Bonnie noted as Caroline sat down next to her at one of the outside tables near the back of the school.

"I am happy," Caroline confirmed as she unrolled her bag. "So, I was walking into the kitchen this morning and making myself a cup of coffee when I saw that Callie was making this!" Pulling the clear sandwich shaped container out, Caroline presented it to Bonnie who took it with a smile.

"Aw, Callie made you a peanut butter sandwich? That's adorable."

"Not only is it adorable," Caroline took the container back and opened it as Bonnie got started on her own lunch. "But it's also progress. Dr. Murphy told my mom that if Callie wasn't getting better, she'd be retreating into herself and shutting everybody out like..."

"Like Jeremy was before Callie came home?"

"Exactly!" Caroline exclaimed before her face broke out into a huge smile. "She's getting better, Bonnie- I'm getting my little sister back; it's like...she's putting everything that happened behind her and is looking forward to the future."

"How very Caroline of her." Bonnie teased with a smile.

"I know, right?" Bonnie's smile began to wane a bit as her eyes caught on to something over Caroline's shoulder. "What is i-" Caroline looked behind her to see that Elena had approached their table and was now just standing there awkwardly at seeing Caroline. Elena said nothing and Caroline looked back to Bonnie who had an apologetic smile on her face. "Bonnie?"

"Intervention?" She suggested quietly with a sheepish smile, but it quickly went away when Caroline began packing up her stuff. "Caroline, no! You're staying!" Bonnie demanded, grabbing her friend's wrist as she stood.

"Not if she is."

"Caroline can stay," Elena said, ever the martyr. "I'll go."

"No!" Bonnie stood up from where she sat. "You're staying too! Both of you are gonna sit down and talk to each other because I'm getting tired of this!"

"Bonnie, this is between me and Elena." Caroline insisted.

"No, it's not; I'm the one being pushed and pulled around like a rag doll because you two can't even be in the same room together without glaring and snarky comments! You're both my best friends and I'm not gonna choose between you, so you're both gonna sit down and talk to each other, or, I swear to God, I'll never speak to either of you again!" Neither made a move to do as they were told and Bonnie narrowed her eyes. "Now!" Silently, Elena went around the table to sit on the other side and Caroline retook her spot, glaring heatedly at Elena who averted her eyes. "Elena, you go first."

"I don't want to hear whatever excuses she's concocted in her head to justify what she did." Caroline snapped and Bonnie glared at her until she relented. Bonnie looked to her brunette friend and gestured for her to start.

"Caroline, I'm sorry." She apologized immediately. "When I did what I did, I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just trying to help my brother-"

" _'When you did what you did'_?" Caroline asked incredulously. "You tried to send my sister back to the people who stole almost three years of her life because she made one little mistake- and that's the worst part! You didn't tell my mom because Callie was smoking pot. We've all smoked pot- no, you called my mom because you thought that locking my sister back up in the nuthouse would set your brother straight. Not once did you think about how it would've affected Callie or even me! You didn't think about the little girl whose called Bonnie, Bonnie Rabbit since she dressed up as a bunny when we were six. You didn't think about the little girl who tutored your little brother in math all throughout elementary school or thought of you as a big sister- the little girl who looked up to you!...You didn't think of any of that. All you thought about was fixing your little broken family not caring if you destroyed someone else's!"

"I know I didn't!" Elena wiped away her tears. "And I know that I screwed up. If there was anything I could do to change what I did, then I would- especially if it meant that you would forgive me-"

"Oh, there is." Caroline nodded as she put her sandwich case back in her bag. "For the first time in her life, Callie's not being the bigger person and forgiving you and I'm proud of her for that- I'm proud of her for allowing herself to be angry at you. So, I'll make you a deal; If you can get Callie to forgive you, then I will, too, but until then?" She stared Elena straight in the eye. "Never speak to me again because, until Callie forgives you, we're not friends." Caroline looked to Bonnie with an apologetic look. "I know you wanted to help us get over this, but it's not something that can be resolved with just an apology. Sorry, Bonnie." Bonnie looked disappointed as Caroline stood up and walked away, but she knew that she had been asking a lot. Unlike her friends, Bonnie never had a younger sibling; her mom left when she was young and her father consistently left her alone for business since she was old enough to take care of herself. Her grandmother had been the only family that Bonnie ever felt was actually there for her and she'd be lying if she said she wouldn't be as pissed as Caroline was if someone tried to take that away from her.

Looking over to Elena who had wiped away her tears, Bonnie asked, "What are you gonna do now?"

"We've all been friends since the first day of kindergarten." Elena reminded. "And And I know that Caroline and I have never really been best friends, but I can't lose her."

"Then you have to get Callie to forgive you." Bonnie confirmed. "How're gonna do that?"

"With a little luck and a lot of persistence."

* * *

Jeremy was walking. That was all he was doing; walking past the football field on his way off of school grounds when he was attacked.

"Where do you think you're going?" Callie asked as she jumped on his back and Jeremy only just managed to right himself to stop from falling to the ground.

"What the hell?!" The blonde hair in his face and the manic giggling told him that it was Callie attacking him, which was the only reason he hadn't thrown her off. "Callie, what are you doing?!"

"Making eggs, obviously." She rolled her eyes before dropping down from his back and moving in front of him. "Where're you going?"

"Home, why?"

"Because I need to stop by the hospital and I was hoping you'd give me a ride." Jeremy furrowed his eyebrows.

"I don't have a car." He pointed out and Callie nodded in confirmation.

"But you've got a back and two working feet." Jeremy opened his mouth- most likely to tell her that he wasn't going to carry her, but Callie got distracted when she noticed Matt and Tyler Lockwood heading towards the football field. "Hold that thought. Matt!" She called, rushing towards the two and they slowed to a stop. "Matt! Hey..."

"Callie?" Matt asked, wondering what she would need with him. Tyler's eyebrows raised high, realizing that the cute blonde him front of him was Caroline's sister.

"Crazy Forbes?" He asked and the small smile on Callie's face fell. "Crazy Callie Forbes?"

Matt hit his friend. "Quit it." He looked back to the blonde. "Sorry-"

"Don't apologize," She told him. "I was called worse at Blue Meadow- plus, it's not like we don't all have nicknames we hate," She looked to a smirking Tyler. "Right, Lockwhore?" His smirk fell. "Caroline told me that one." Obviously embarrassed, Tyler left the conversation and stomped past the stands and onto the field. Callie turned back to Matt who looked both amused and surprised.

"The Callie I knew would've cried and ran off to tell on Tyler to Caroline." He pointed out. Callie shrugged.

"Yeah, well the Callie you knew was thirteen years old and hadn't been called Bella Swan and Belle by everyone at her psychiatric facility." She twisted her mouth. "I didn't know that it was an insult until I realized they were calling that because of the whole werewolf thing." She shook her head. "Anyway, I come bearing gifts." She held out the bag and Matt took it with confusion on his face. "It's a peanut butter and banana sandwich. I figured that you're on your own since Vicki's in the hospital and I know you have a tendency to forget to eat- you should really work on that by the way. You play football, like, five times a week and it can't be healthy not eating anyth- I'm rambling..." She realized with a shake of her head. "Anyway; I wanted to give it to you so you could have it as lunch and wouldn't have to spend your money, but you must've gone off with Tyler because I couldn't find you-"

"Thanks, Cal." Matt said, interrupting what was sure to be another rambling conversation.

She gave him a smile. "You're welcome. Just promise me something," She requested and he raised an eyebrow. "Don't share with Tyler. He's an ape's asshole." Matt snorted.

"A what?" But she didn't explain, she just gave him a sweet smile and walked back to Jeremy.

"What was that?" He asked as they began to walk.

"I just brought Matt some lunch," She told him. "He's probably going through a tough time with Vicki being in the hospital and I wanted to do something nice." Jeremy looked over at her.

When they were younger, Callie had always been an open book; not in the way that she was always saying what was on her mind- that was more Sasha's wheelhouse- but in the way that everyone knew what she was about; Callie liked Lisa Frank stickers and glitter, she loved animals, and knew the lyrics to every single Jonas Brothers song. She waved to anyone and everyone she passed on the street and helped anyone she thought was struggling, she was...she was a bright, beautiful, happy little girl and she had every reason to be; she had two parents who loved her, an older sister who was more than happy to pass on her own knowledge on boys and clothes, a best friend who thought she was the most amazing person in the world and she lived in a town where everyone adored her. The only thing was, Jeremy had no idea how she was still that girl.

Callie had been through so much; she had survived whatever had happened to Sasha's family in the woods only to be shoved into a nut house by her mother after letting a few childish dreams merge with reality and stayed in that place for almost three years with only month visits and weekly calls from her family where she was subjected to actual insane people, then she had finally come home after being forced to take half a dozen pills a day only to almost be sent back because she made one mistake and Elena tried to take advantage, and yet, Callie was still the bright and happy person she had always been. Jeremy couldn't help but wonder if Callie was pretending. He knew it was likely, but he didn't know who she was pretending for; was she pretending to be her old self for the sake of her mother and sister? Or was she pretending to be as messed up as she assumed Jeremy was so he would hang out with her?

 _'Well,'_ Jeremy thought to himself. _'There's only one way to find out.'_ "Callie, are you okay?"

She furrowed her eyebrows. "What?"

"Are you okay?" He asked. "How are you? Really? And I don't want the generic answer that you give your therapist or your mom or Caroline; I want the truth, so tell me," He stopped in front of her, forcing her to do the same. "Are you okay?"

"I...uh," Callie swallowed, not knowing what to say or do. "Um...I should go," She said finally, moving around her friend, but Jeremy grabbed by her arm before she could get too far.

"Callie-"

"No!" She snapped, causing him to drop her arm and rear back slightly from her tone. Seeing his reaction, she immediately softened her voice. "I'm sorry, Jer. I just...I gotta go."

"Callie-"

"I'll see you tomorrow at school." Not giving himself another chance to speak, Callie rushed away and across the grass, towards the parking lot where Caroline was unlocking her car. Jeremy saw her smile when she saw her sister approaching but it disappeared when Callie rushed into the car without saying a word. When Caroline looked the way Callie had come and saw Jeremy standing where he was, she couldn't help but narrow her eyes. Jeremy couldn't blame her; Callie was doing great- from what Caroline knew and saw- but it seemed like it was always the Gilbert's doing whenever her good mood went away.

* * *

"Why'd you run?"

Callie didn't know how to feel about Dr. Murphy.

She had first started seeing him after what happened in the woods with Sasha's family, and she had told him everything about the werewolf she saw- everything from the blood that covered his body and the horrible cracking and snapping sounds his bones had made as they all broke. Dr. Murphy had tried to convinced her that what she saw wasn't real, that it was just a dream that took place of the real memory because it was too traumatic for her to think of, but Callie wouldn't buy it. Because Dr. Murphy hadn't been able to 'cure' her, he had been replaced by Dr. Anderson who had already been in the employ of Blue Meadow and had been asked to talk to Callie by the Mayor who had only been worried about what the voters would think during the next election if he didn't help the adored, and troubled daughter of the Forbes family.

While Dr. Anderson had been the one who initially insisted Callie be admitted to Blue Meadow, Dr. Murphy had agreed, making them Public Enemy One and Two- respectively- in Callie's mind. However, Dr. Murphy had been the one who actually talked to Callie after she was admitted- he had sat there trying to get her to talk for the first five weeks of the introductory period and hadn't even given up on her when the only time she would talk was to call him a stupid-head. He had been the one to make her realize that what she had seen that night in the woods hadn't been real which had led to Dr. Murphy getting her out of Blue Meadow two years before she was supposed to be finished Dr. Anderson's recommended treatment. He was no longer Public Enemy Two and he was the only one that Callie felt she could trust with what she was actually feeling, but she was still unsure about him. She couldn't help but to feel that way.

"I didn't run," She denied and he raised an eyebrow. "Not technically anyway. I just...he was asking me questions I didn't even know the answer to...I'm not even sure I want to know the answer to his question."

"Callie, we had a deal." Dr. Murphy reminded. "I agreed to go from three sessions a week to two, but only if you told the truth."

"I am telling the truth!" She claimed.

"Are you?" He asked. "Because, since the day I met you, you have never not known what you were feelings; even when you were in Blue Meadow and away from everyone and everything you knew, you always knew what you were feeling."

"Because anger isn't that hard to ID." She pointed out.

"In our last session, you told me that you were okay and I believed you- to a certain extent." He added. "And I think you're afraid to admit to both yourself and Jeremy about how you feel because you're afraid he won't want to be your friend." Callie didn't say anything. "Callie, at the moment, Jeremy is your only friend-"

"Not from lack of trying." Callie lied.

"I'm sure that's true, but that doesn't change the fact that he _is_ your only friend." Dr. Murphy continued. "Do you honestly think he would abandon you just because you're not as bad off as he thought you were?"

"...No," She sighed. "It's just...I don't want to tell him and then be proved wrong about how much I really knew him when he stops being my friend."

Dr. Murphy was quiet for a few moments. "I think you're looking at this the wrong way." He insisted and she raised an eyebrow in question. "Since the day Elena told your mother about the pot, what have you and Jeremy been doing together?"

Callie shrugged. "Just hanging out...we, uh...we study mostly; I'm a Freshman and he's a Sophomore, but I'm trying to help him get his grades back up so that he'll be a Junior with me next year since my school counselor is helping me skip my Sophomore year."

He nodded. "What else?"

"Uh," Callie thought. "He's teaching me how to play pool on the pool table at the Grill," She offered up. "We watch movies, play board games, hang out with his Aunt Jenna- a lot of the time we just hang out in his room; he draws and I listen to his music or he tries to catch me up on the last two years of things I missed since we weren't allowed computers at Blue Meadow."

"And when's the last time you two smoked pot, took pills, drank or did anything like that?" Callie hesitated. "You can tell me. Legally, I can't tell your mother anything as long as you're not hurting yourself."

"...I don't know," She admitted warily. "Not since the first time." Dr. Murphy gave her a smile.

"Then maybe Jeremy isn't as bad off as you think he is, either." He offered.

"You lost me,"

"You think that Jeremy is only hanging out with you and being friendly because he thinks you're worse off than you actually are," He told her. "But maybe he's doing the same; maybe he thinks you're only hanging out with him because he thinks that you think that he's just as much of an outsider as you are."

Callie couldn't say anything against that. What if it was true? What if Jeremy was just pretending to be bad off? Callie had no doubt that Jeremy had been as bad off as he seemed; taking drugs, drinking alcohol- just destroying himself from the inside out since his parents death, but maybe- just maybe, Jeremy was getting better. According to almost every book she had read, friendship could get people through anything, but could one friend- one black sheep, werewolf imagining, two years in the nut house friend- be all the Jeremy needed to get better? And if that were true, was what Dr. Murphy said about Jeremy pretending also Callie's fault?

Thinking about it all at once was starting to make her head hurt. Hoping to relieve some of the pressure in the room, she looked to Dr. Murphy. "I don't think I've ever heard someone over thirty say 'hanging out' as much as you did in the last four minutes."

Thankfully, the good doctor wasn't resistant to the change. Giving her a grin, he said, "I'm the coolest, and most hip person in this place." Callie snorted just as someone knocked on the door. Dr. Murphy called for the person to come in and a second later Caroline was poking her head through a crack in the door.

"Sorry," She apologized. "I don't mean to barge in, but we've got to go." That was right. Caroline had made plans to sleep over Bonnie's house so they could fold up programs for the comet thing the following Saturday that Caroline had guilt-tripped, blackmailed, and strong-armed into helping with. She even got Callie to help by making homemade candles. That's right, homemade; Caroline did nothing halfway. Either way, it didn't matter because Callie would make a million candles if it meant that she got to stay home alone for once in the past couple of months. Of course, their mother was under the impression that Callie would be staying with Caroline and Bonnie but, as Caroline said, "What mom doesn't know, won't hurt her."

"It's fine," Dr. Murphy insured Caroline. "Our time was up anyway." Callie stood and picked up her backpack. "I'll see you again on Friday, Callie."

"See you then." She said making her way to the door, but stopped and turned to the doctor. "And by the way," He looked up at her. "Only adults who are trying way too hard to be cool call themselves hip."

* * *

"How long are you gonna keep ignoring me?" Jeremy was there waiting as soon as Callie got out of the car.

She would be lying if she said that Jeremy was lying; she had been ignoring him, somewhat. She hadn't answered any of the many times he had called the landline at her house the night she was left alone and she had gotten her mother to let her stay home the next day by faking a migraine. When she did finally return to school on Wednesday, Callie had taken a ride from Caroline and avoided any place she knew he would be, which wasn't as hard as she anticipated considering they weren't in the same grade. When that worked, she had done the same thing that day, but Jeremy had obviously been anticipating that. Instead of even trying to see her at school, he decided to lay in wait for her and Caroline in the Town Square that night for the festival.

Obviously not expecting his presence, Callie floundered for a few moments before turning to Caroline who was watching them with confusion.

"Matt's probably already here with the candles." She said, subtly asking Caroline to leave. She, thankfully, got the hint and walked off to find Matt who had been nice enough to offer his truck to transport her candles. Turning back to her friend, Callie tried not to look too guilty. "I'm not ignoring you."

"Yesterday, at school, I called your name six times while chasing you through the parking lot."

She had no explanation for that. "Okay, so maybe I was ignoring you."

"Did I do something wrong?" And there was the guilt. He looked so confused that it actually hurt her to look at him. "I mean, I'll make it right if I did, but you can't just ignore me and expect me to know-"

"You didn't do anything wrong." She assured him. "I just...I had an appointment with my psychiatrist on Monday and he brought up a couple of things that I didn't want to deal with," She sighed. "But, I guess that I don't really have to choice now."

"What was it?" Callie stared at him for a moment, trying to work up the courage and ask what she needed to know.

"Jer, when was the last time to smoked pot?" She asked suddenly and his eyebrows shot up. He had not been expecting that.

"What?"

"When's the last time you smoked pot?" She repeated. "Or popped pills or drank anything harder than a Red Bull- just answer the question."

Jeremy scratched his head. "...I don't know," He admitted. "Maybe the day after Elena tried to get you sent back to the crazy farm?"

"And why's that?" She continued. "Are you not doing that stuff anymore because of me, or Elena, or what?"

Jeremy shrugged. "I just haven't felt like it lately." He defended. "What's with the third degree?" Callie shook her head with a sigh. There was no way she was going to get the honest answers she needed from Jeremy.

"No reason," She lied. "I'm sorry for ignoring you, I've just...I've had a few weird days. It wasn't your fault." Jeremy didn't look convinced, but he didn't fight her on it. "Let's go watch the comet," She plastered a smile on her face. "Caroline can guilt trip Elena into doing the rest of the work."

* * *

"You worry about him, don't you?"

Looking away from where Callie was helping Jeremy paint the faces of little kids, Elena saw that Stefan had stepped up to her. Part of her wanted to address what happened between them before. It had been her fault for just assuming that she knew where their conversation was headed, but all she could think about at the moment was Jeremy and how he still hated her- and Caroline and how she still hated her. All because of one stupid decision.

"Everyday since our parents died." She admitted. "Before, he was just so...full of life; he was always smiling and joking around with our dad. There was barely a time you could find him without his sketchpad...he was happy."

"He looks happy to me." Stefan noted, but noticed how Elena's face fell.

"Because of Callie," She nodded. "She's good for him and he's good for her, I just...I couldn't see that before."

"Before what?"

"Before I messed everything up." Knowing that he had no idea what she was talking about, Elena decided to explain- everything. "When Callie was thirteen, she went camping with her friend and her parents. Something attacked them in the woods- a mountain lion or something, no one was ever really sure what- but Callie kept telling everyone that it was a werewolf."

Stefan's eyebrows shot up. He had expected her to say vampire, but a werewolf. He wasn't even sure that those were real. "A werewolf?" Elena nodded.

"Everyone tried to convince her that she had just been dreaming, but she wouldn't believe anyone. It got so bad that her mom thought it was best to send her to a psychiatric hospital- that's where she's been for the past two years, but she just got back into town a few months ago. Anyway, on the first day of school, she and Jeremy started hanging out and when I went home that night I found them in his room-"

"Having sex?"

Elena scoffed. "I wish, then I probably wouldn't have been so stupid. No, they were smoking pot- nothing Jeremy or I hadn't done with my friends before, but I made a huge mess of it. I decided that I was gonna tell Callie's mom what she was doing so she'd get sent back to Blue Meadow because I hoped that would show Jeremy that his actions had consequences." She tried not to look at him, she could only imagine the look on his face. "You probably think I'm a horrible person."

"No," Stefan shook his head and Elena looked over at him. "I think you're a good sister; you were willing to do whatever it took to get your brother on the right track again. Not a lot of people can say that they have someone who cares about them like you do Jeremy."

"Yeah, well, look where that got me," She sighed. "Callie's still here, she got Jeremy to stop smoking and to start actually caring about school again, but Jeremy hates me now- and so does Caroline."

"Wait, why does Caroline hate you?"

"Callie's her little sister." She explained and Stefan nodded in understanding. "I just wanted my brother back and now he won't even acknowledge me- neither will Caroline; she says that we aren't even friends anymore- not until Callie forgives me."

"How's that coming along?"

Elena shook her head. "Well, I haven't spoken to her since the night I tried to get her sent back to Blue Meadow, so great. I haven't worked out a game plan on how to even approach her, so, for the moment, I'm just letting Caroline guilt trip me into doing anything she wants." That's when she noticed the blonde glaring at her from the other side of the square, signalling that she needed to get back to work handing out candles. "Speaking of which..." Picking up her large box of candles, Elena went to start passing them out again.

"Wait," Stefan called, stopping her. "I think you should talk to Callie tonight."

"Why?"

"Because," He tried to think of a reason. "There's a comet overhead and she's happy and having fun. If there was anytime to seek forgiveness, it'd be now."

Elena gave him a small smile. "Thanks for the advice," She said. "I might just take it."

* * *

"Ugh, public bathrooms are disgusting," Callie grimaced as she left the stall. Peeing while in a birthing-like crouching position wasn't easy, especially with underwear around her ankles. Reaching for the paper towel dispenser, Callie sighed when she saw there was none left. She hated using the air dryers; they were way too loud and unnecessary.

Pushing the button down with her arm, she put her hands under the blasting air and slowly turned them so they could dry. That's when she heard one of the stall doors behind her shut.  
Turning her body, she looked around but all of the stalls were still open and there was no one in the bathroom. That still didn't stop her from calling out "Hello?" like the ditsy blonde girl who dies first in every horror movie. When she heard no voice return her call, she turned back to the dryer. Thankfully, she didn't hear anything else.

With the dryer still blasting, Callie turned around, only to scream when she was pushed up against the wall. A hand quickly covered her mouth while another held her against the wall as she struggled. A pair of bright green eyes stared back at her.

"Stop struggling," He ordered, staring straight into her eyes and she couldn't help but do what he said. "Don't be scared, I'm not gonna hurt you. I just need to tell you a few things, okay?" He dropped his hand down from her mouth.

"Okay."

* * *

"You were right." Elena said as soon as Stefan opened the door.

The festival for the comet was well over and done with; after hours of games and family friendly activities, most of the families packed themselves back into their cars and went home while the younger Mystic Falls residents made their way to the only place worth going to at the hour; the Mystic Grill, however, mostly everyone had dispersed and gone home after Vicki Donovan had gone missing and then been found on the roof of a nearby building with her stitched ripped out.

"Right about what?" Stefan asked, stepping back so Elena could enter the house.

"About Callie," She said. "It took me half an hour to work up the courage to even go near her, but, as soon as I did, she just blurted out that she forgave me."

"Really?" Elena nodded.

"She said that she understood that I was just looking out for my brother and that she couldn't be angry at me because of that. She even promised to talk to Caroline about acknowledging my existence again." Elena's excitement began to wane and she looked at Stefan with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Stefan. You gave me the push I needed."

"Anytime."

* * *

When Callie woke up that night, her head hurt. She supposed that it served her right for faking a migraine to get out of school a few days prior, but it wasn't so bad that she couldn't ignore.

Getting out of bed, Callie slipped on her cat slippers before making her way out of her bedroom and down the hall to the kitchen. She shuffled inside while rubbing her eyes, and dropped them, only to furrow her eyebrows when she realized that someone was in her kitchen- and it wasn't Caroline or her mother.

"Who are you?" The bent over body that was perusing through the refrigerator straightened up at the sound of her voice and turned towards her. Had she been a little bit more awake then she was, Callie would probably have noticed and been flustered by the fact that the stranger had no shirt on and was probably the hottest guy she had ever seen in her life, but she wasn't, so she couldn't find it in her to care about his half dressed state.

He sent her a charming grin. "Hello..." He drawled. "I'm Damon, and you are?"

"I live here." She informed him before noticing the bit of red that was smeared on the side of his mouth. "You got something right there," She pointed to her own face. Damon put a hand up to his, only to get a "No, the other side- yeah, you got it." Realizing that it was probably lipstick, Callie made the obvious deduction. "Are you sleeping with my sister?"

He didn't try to deny it. "Yes, I am." Damon expected suspicion and doubt to cloud her face- after all, she had just found him rifling through her fridge with blood on his mouth- but he got none of that.

"Okay," Shuffling over to the sink, Callie grabbed her favorite mug- a white one with pineapples painted over it that Caroline had bought their father years ago- and took it to the fridge before filling it with orange juice. "You should probably be gone before my mom gets home or she will pull a gun on you." Callie could still remember the frightened Freshman that had gone running past her window wearing nothing but a pair of socks when she was thirteen.

"Thanks for the heads up."

"You're welcome." Callie yawned as she exited the kitchen, leaving a slightly confused, yet amused vampire behind her.

* * *

A/N;

Okay, I know that some of you will be pissed about me forcing Callie to get over the whole Elena thing, but don't worry; she will get those memories back.

Chapter Fic Rec;

Stormdancer by: deathsweetqueen (Vampire Diaries)

To know Niklaus Mikaelson is to know Aliyah. It took everything she had to walk away from him. But she had no choice; she didn't want to hate him after loving him for a thousand years. But Niklaus always intended to take back what was his, and that was Aliyah. She may run and she may hide, but he would find her. Will she be strong enough to walk away again? Klaus/OC. Post 1X14 AU.


	4. Yesterday

_Yesterday all my troubles seemed so far away._ _Now it looks as though they're here to stay._ _Oh, I believe in yesterday._

\- Yesterday, The Beatles

* * *

"Why'd you forgive her?" Dr. Murphy asked and Callie chuckled.

"You know that's the first thing Jeremy and Caroline asked too?" She shook her head. "I don't know; I guess...I just suddenly took a second to look at everything from Elena's perspective. She didn't see what she did as hurting me, she saw it as helping Jeremy. I've been trying to get Jeremy on track since we started hanging out again- in my own way, I guess- but Elena's been doing it since her parents died. I guess I just realized that she did what she did for him...I can't be angry at her for that."

Dr. Murphy nodded as he wrote something down in his notebook. Callie could only imagine what information he had gathered about her in the past few months. "How are things going with your family?"

Callie shrugged. "Okay, I guess. I know they just want what's best for me, but sometimes I get tired of them walking around eggshells whenever they're around me; my mom thinks that if I'm alone for one second I'll end up breaking down or hurting myself or something and Caroline...she's Caroline; I don't know how else to explain it. She lectures me on being good and doing what's best for my health- meanwhile, she's got a guy ten years older than her staying the night in her room." Dr. Murphy raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell my mom or she'll kill Caroline and Caroline'll kill me."

"I won't," He promised, holding up three fingers. "Scouts honor." Suddenly, the door opened and the officer that Callie had met so briefly weeks ago entered the room.

"Deputy Chance?" She looked a lot different than she had before; her dark red hair was out of it's ponytail and fell down her shoulders in tight waves. Gone also was her uniform; instead she wore a pair of jean shorts and a red long sleeved blouse.

Her green eyes flicked over to Callie before looking back to Dr. Murphy. "Sorry," She apologized. "I didn't know you were busy."

"It's okay," Dr. Murphy insisted. "This is Callie." He looked to Callie. "Callie, this is my fiancée, Gwen." Callie didn't try to hide her surprise.

"Small world," She breathed. Dr. Murphy looked back to his fiancée who tapped the watch that sat on her wrist. At that, Dr. Murphy looked at his own.

"Lunch," He said in realization. "With your sister; I completely forgot."

"That's okay," Gwen assured him with a smile. "I knew you'd forget or lose track of time, so I told you it was a half hour before it actually was."

Dr. Murphy shook his head. "You think you're so smart." Gwen stuck her tongue out at him.

Having seen the interaction, Callie couldn't help but comment on it. "You two are the most adorable thing I've ever seen." Remembering they weren't alone, Dr. Murphy looked back to Callie. "And I've watched _All Dogs Go To Heaven_ about ten times since last Saturday."

* * *

"Are you sure that you forgive Elena?" Caroline asked as she pulled her long hair up into a ponytail. "Because you know that it's totally okay if you haven't yet? I think it's past time that somebody stop giving Elena Gilbert passes just because her parents died- not that they haven't been doing that for her our entire lives." She added.

Callie nodded from where she sat cross legged on Caroline's bed. "I'm sure. There's no point in being angry anymore; I'm still here, Jeremy's still my friend, and mom's even given me a bit more freedom than before. She still hasn't agreed to let me have a cell phone, but she is letting me go to the football game this weekend without a chaperone and I'll take what I can get." Callie zeroed in on her sister and furrowed her eyebrows at her choice of clothing. "Why are you wearing a scarf?" She asked. "It's eighty degrees out and you're going to cheer practice."

"It's called setting a trend." Caroline said before turning away from the mirror. "You may have spent the last two and a half years wearing gray sweatpants and straitjackets, but out here we wear colors and prints, and we Forbes' girls? We set trends."

"You do know that I never actually wore a straitjacket, right?" Caroline didn't get the chance to answer before a car horn sounded from outside.

"That's Damon," Caroline said, grabbing her bag. "I shouldn't keep him waiting." She headed towards the door and Callie jumped off of the bed before following her out.

"I like Damon," She admitted as she followed Caroline down the hall and to the front door. "He's sweet and he doesn't just put up with me because he wants to get into your pants."

Caroline scoffed as she opened the door. "Damon is not sweet; Damon is hot."

"Hot guys can be sweet," Callie pointed out, falling into step with Caroline as they neared Damon's convertible. Caroline threw her bag in the backseat before getting in the front.

"Are you two dazzling ladies talking about me?" Damon asked, sending a grin at Callie.

"No."

"So you weren't just talking about how hot I am?" He asked and Callie's face dropped in shock.

"Okay, how do you do that?" She demanded and he raised an eyebrow. "How do you always know what I say even when I'm nowhere near you? You aren't some super freaky alien with mutant powers are you? Because that would be cool."

"Afraid not, California." He pulled down his sunglasses from the top of his head. "Just a regular old, sweet, hot guy who doesn't just put up with you to get into Caroline's pants."

"Stop that!" Callie ordered. "It's freaking me out!"

"I'm sorry," Damon apologized, not sounding the least bit apologetic. "Let me make it up to you?" Callie raised an eyebrow at him as he leaned across Caroline and pulled out a small rectangular box from the glove compartment before holding it out to Callie who took it. She was never one to refuse a gift. Pulling up the top, Callie gasped as her eyes fell on a touch screen Blackberry phone.

"Are you serious?!" She squealed looking up from her gift. "These aren't even out yet!"

"I know a guy." Callie couldn't keep the smug smile off of her face as she looked to Caroline.

"I told you," She said. "Hot guys can be sweet."

* * *

"He bought you a phone?" Jeremy asked in obvious confusion as he and Callie walked down the street. They were just leaving the hospital, having visited Vicki once more and were on their way to the Grill- well, Callie was. Jeremy had to return to school for a makeup test that Callie had convinced their history teacher to give him, but he hadn't wanted her to walk alone.

"Yep," Callie smiled. "Damon's a good guy, but he's too wrapped up in his bad boy persona to actually acknowledge it. And, while I do love my gift, I've got to turn it over to my mom."

"What? Why?"

"It was part of my agreement for getting out of Blue Meadow early," She sighed. "No internet until my mom decides I'm ready to be trusted with it. I'm allowed two hours supervised at home, but Caroline's the only one who's around to supervise me so she just lets me do what I want. I think my mom thinks that I'll start looking up werewolf attacks if I'm alone and jump back onto the werewolf killer train." Looking down at her watch, Callie quickly deduced the time. What kind of watch had diamonds instead of numbers? "I can walk the rest of the way by myself,"

"Are you sure?" Jeremy asked and she nodded.

"If you don't leave now, you'll miss your makeup test and I can only use my charm on Mr. Tanner so many times before it stops being effective." He looked unsure. "Jeremy, go," Callie ordered. "I'm a big girl; I think I can manage walking the last block to the Grill myself."

Jeremy shrugged. "Okay," He turned and began walking, but Callie didn't trust him not to turn around and risk being late just to make sure she got where she was going. She was right not to because he turned around twice only to find he was being watched himself. It wasn't until he had finally turned the corner and gone out of sight that Callie turned and continued her walk.

Or, at least, tried to.

She hadn't taken but one step before she ran right into someone.

It hadn't been that hard and neither of them got hurt, but it was enough to send the girl's books and folder flying to the ground, allowing all the papers to fall out.

"Oh, my God! I am so sorry!" Callie apologized immediate as the girl before picking up her papers. Luckily, it wasn't very windy out so the papers stayed where they had fallen.

"It's okay," The girl insisted as Callie knelt down to help pick her things up. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"I was the one who slammed into you." Having picked up most of the papers, Callie grabbed the three books that had fallen and stacked them on top of each other as she and the girl both stood up. "Again, really sorry."

"It's fine," The girl told her. "I was distracted by my phone- as usual. Sometimes, I swear, it feels like the thing's glued to my hand." Callie handed her back her papers and books and the girl's eyes landed on her hoodie. "Harry Potter fan?"

"Oh, uh..." Callie looked down at her sweatshirt and nodded. "I've been reading them again before I read the last one. I didn't get a chance to read it when it came out so I want to remember anything I might've forgotten."

"I'm more of a Percy Jackson fan myself," The girl said, holding up one of the books Callie had handed back to her; _Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief_ , it read.

"I've never heard of Percy Jackson."

"Oh, it's great," The girl said. "It's about this twelve year old kid that finds out that he's a demigod and that his dad is Poseidon. The first book is all about how his uncle- Zeus- thinks he stole his lightning bolt and Percy has to go and find it to clear his name before the gods declare war on each other. It's a lot better than I explained it, I promise."

"I'll trust you," The girl suddenly held out the book to Callie.

"Here," She said as Callie took the book. "You can read it after you finish Harry Potter and- spoiler alert; the death-toll in Deathly Hollows is going to destroy your life."

Callie shook her head. "I can't take your book-"

"I was gonna donate it to the library anyways- If I could ever find it. This town is to tiny, yet so big at the same time." She laughed. "If anything, this is me pawning that off on you."

"Thanks," Callie was appreciative. She had no idea who this mystery girl was, but she was glad for the kindness she showed. Most of the kids at school tended to avoid her as if she'd infect them with crazy so Jeremy was really the only friend she had. She couldn't help but remember what Dr. Murphy had said to her in their session the week before school started; _'You need friends, Callie. If they won't come up to you, you go to them.'_ "I'm, uh...I'm actually headed to the Grill; it's really the only place in Mystic Falls to hang out." She explained at the girl's look of confusion. "You...wouldn't want to join me, would you? I could give you a crash course on Mystic Falls."

"Uh...sure." She smiled. "But my mother told me to never go anywhere with strangers and I don't even know your name."

"Oh," Leave it to Callie to have a complete conversation with a stranger with introducing herself. "I'm Callie," She held out her hand. "Callie Forbes, and you are?"

"Anna," The girl took her hand. "Anna Zhu."

* * *

"Okay, so you want to stay away from Mr. Tanner's house," Callie instructed her new friend as a waitress sat down their drinks. "Thank you,"

The two had been at the Grill for about two hours now. The afternoon patrons had long since found their way out and had been replaced by adults and high school students looking to have fun. That included Caroline, Elena, Bonnie, and those that usually could be found with them; Tyler, Matt, and the rest of the popular crowd.

"How come?"

"Everyone hates Mr. Tanner," She explained. "He's a Fell- or, at least, he used to be- they're one of the Founding Families of Mystic Falls, but they disowned him and he took his mother's maiden name and now he's bitter towards everyone. Not to mention, he hates kids."

"But he's a teacher," Anna pointed out and Callie shook her head.

"Do not be fooled by that; there's a working theory that he only took the job at Mystic Falls High so that he could torment the kids of the people who used to torment him in high school." Callie took a sip of her soda. "He referred to my sister as Barbara Roberts her entire freshman year."

Anna raised an eyebrow as a chewed a fry. "Who's Barbara Roberts?"

"That's Barbie's real name," Callie told her. "You'd understand if you saw my sister- wait! There she is," Callie waved to Caroline who sat with Elena and Bonnie at a table in the middle of the Grill. Anna turned to see the tall, stylish, bubbly blonde that was Caroline Forbes as she waved back to her sister.

"Who is that?" Caroline questioned her friends and they followed her gaze to the dark haired girl sitting with Callie.

"I've never seen her before," Bonnie shrugged. Caroline looked to Elena expectantly.

"How should I know?" She asked.

"Because Callie and Jeremy are practically joined at the hip," The blonde pointed out. "If I don't know who that is, you should."

"Jeremy barely looks at me," Elena pointed out. "You think that he's gonna talk to me about his friends who- before last month- were all drug addicts who spent their days in the Stoner Pit?"

"Why are you being so nosy anyway?" Bonnie asked, trying to keep the conversation away from why Jeremy wasn't speaking to Elena. "Callie literally spends all her time with Jeremy if she's not with you. You should be happy she's making friends- and a girl one at that. Everyone should have at least one female friend who isn't related to them."

"Bonnie has a point-"

"I'm not being nosy!" Caroline claimed only to receive raised eyebrows from her friends. "Okay, I'm being a little nosy, but I have to be! The last thing any of us needs is for this girl to turn out to be some pretty, poorly dressed snake in the grass. I want Callie to have friends, but I don't want her to get hurt."

"Caroline, getting hurt is a part of being teenager," Elena pointed out. "You can't baby-proof Callie's life."

"I'm not-" But Caroline's statment was suddenly cut off when a loud, terrified scream sounded. Her heart lept into her throat as she realized the scream came from Callie.

Back across the bar, someone- a guy from their school wearing a letterman jacket and a pair of jeans- jumped at her with a loud yell. It wasn't his barbaric nature that scared her, however, it was the werewolf mask he wore. Callie nearly fell as she scrambled out of the tall chair she sat in, causing to fall to the ground. The boy pulled off his mask and started laughing at the look on her face.

"Still scared of werewolves, Crazy Forbes?" He laughed. Rushing over from where he was playing pool with Tyler on the other side of the bar, Matt stepped in front of Callie and pushed the boy away.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Mike?" He demanded.

"C'mon, it was a joke!" He insisted and tried to step closer to Callie, but Matt pushed him again. "It was a joke!"

"You're an asshole," Turning away from his teammate, Matt turned to Callie who looked around the bar in embarrassment as just about everyone stared at her. Some gave her pity looks, most weren't even trying to contain their amusement as they whispered to their friends. At a table near her filled with a few other letterman wearing jocks, a boy held up his phone, videotaping her. "Callie, ignore them-"

"You asshole!" Matt barely had enough time to step away from Callie and grab Caroline as she lunged at Brad who had enough sense to move away. "You think this is funny?" She demanded. "I will destroy you, you immature, psychotic, freak!"

"The only freak here is your psycho sister," Brad taunted. Apparently, he had no sense of self-preservation. "Everyone knows what really happened; she went crazy and murdered the Franks and your dyke mom covered-" But he didn't get the chance to finish his though.

Matt, without warning, let go of Caroline and lunged at Brad. His friends suddenly rushed forward to help only to be intercepted by Tyler and a few of his friends. The Football team seemed to be divided right down the middle as everyone started yelling and throwing punches.

"C'mon, Callie," She was quiet as she was quickly ushered out of the Grill by Caroline, followed closely by Elena and Bonnie.

"I'm gonna call your mom before someone gets hurt," Bonnie said as she pulled out her phone, but her fingers slowed in their movements to punch in the number for the police when she caught sight of Caroline's car.

On the left side doors of Caroline's beloved silver Charger were the words "CRAZY CALLIE" spray painted in black and red paint had been splattered all over. On the hood of the car sat another wolf mask, identical to the one Brad had been wearing. Bonnie tried to stop Callie from seeing, but as soon as she did, she took off running.

"Callie!" Caroline yelled as she rushed after her, but had to stop when she nearly twisted her ankle. There was no way she could catch up to Callie who was wearing sneakers. "Callie, stop!" Caroline yelled as her sister disappeared around a corner.

* * *

A/N;

Okay, I know that this was a short chapter- It was a filler chapter, I admit it, but I haven't updated this story in three months and I didn't want anyone to think I abandoned it. You'll get another, longer, chapter in April, I promise.

Chapter Fic Rec;

Coffee Run by: I-AM-SiriusLOCKED (Avengers)

Eva works at a fancy coffee shop round the corner from New York's Avengers Tower, meaning she gets a lot of funny customers - and that the novelty's worn off. But, a day or so after the events in Sokovia, it's a new guy's turn to do the Earth's Mightiest Heroes' coffee run, and this one's different in more than just appearance.


	5. Anywhere

_Time flies by when the night is young; Daylight shines on an unexposed location, location._  
 _Bloodshot eyes lookin' for the sun. Paradise we live it, and we call it a vacation, vacation_

\- Anywhere, Rita Ora

* * *

After getting away from Caroline and the others, Callie didn't know where to go or what to do.

She had been an idiot; that was the only explanation for her expecting everyone to so nice and understanding about her return home after Blue Meadow. She had seen people at school point and stare like she was an exhibit at the zoo, but they kept their distance and gave smiles whenever they approached her or had to interact with her in class. Callie should've known that their smiles and courtesy's were all fake. She was the town freak and now she knew what people really thought about her.

While running, Callie hadn't paid any attention to where she had been running and now she had no idea where she was; Mystic Falls rarely changed or experienced the arrival of new people, but Callie could distinctly remember the beginning of constructions that had begun a few months before she was sent away. A new subdivision of homes had began to be built and Callie remembered Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena driving her to the construction site daily in order to pick up Sasha since her father's company had been the ones building. After he died, Callie wasn't even sure if the town would continue on building, but it appears that they had; the houses were up now and all candy colored- making them look like something that'd just popped out of the _Cat In The Hat_ Movie. They were pretty, but Callie's memory was hazy about how to get home from where she was.

Taking out her phone, she thought about calling someone, but she only knew Jeremy, Caroline, and her parents numbers; the four people in the world she would rather not talk to at the moment. Jeremy would get pissed and do something incredibly stupid; Caroline was probably already assembling search parties out of her friends and minions and her mother would probably try and use this as a way to guilt her into going back to Blue Meadow. Callie most definitely couldn't call her father; he had been so angry at her mother for allowing Mayor Lockwood to convince her into sending Callie away and it had strained the already fragile relationship the two had. No, Callie couldn't call any of them.

Thankfully, her silent prayers seemed to answered when a pair of headlights shone behind her.

She turned around and held her hand up to keep the light out of her eyes until the car pulled to a stop and the driver stepped out. She left out a unintentional breath of relief; it was just Damon.

He seemed confused to see her. "What are you doing here, Callie?" He asked. "You should be out here own you own in the dark- not with all those animal attacks going on."

"I know," She told him. "I just...I needed to get away."

"Why?" He asked with furrowed eyebrows, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Get away from what?"

"Some...stupid guys at the Grill." She shrugged. Damon pulled out his phone and looked at it.

"That must be why your sister won't stop calling me," He had either ignored it or let all them to go voicemail. He hadn't been in the mood to talk to Caroline. "What happened?"

"Does it matter?"

"Considering you're on the opposite side of town that your house is, yes." He nodded. "You never know what could happen to someone like you this late at night."

"It was some of the guys on the football team," She told him after a few moments of silence. "They decided to play a...a joke on me that I didn't exactly find funny."

"About your time in Blue Meadow?" Callie's eyebrows furrowed and Damon held up his phone. "She wouldn't stop texting me either." Callie looked down at the ground. "What'd they do?"

"They just...scared me," She answered quietly. "One of them had on one of those stupid Timberwolves masks that they sell at games. Then they got into a fight with Matt and Tyler after one of them called my mom...well, it wasn't very nice. They trashed Caroline's car, too."

Damon didn't say anything for a moment and Callie thought that he was going to decide that it wasn't his problem and call Caroline to come get her, but he didn't. "C'mon," He said, going around to the other side of the car and opening up the passenger side door. "I'm taking you home so your sister can stop blowing up my phone." At first, Callie wanted to object; the last thing she wanted was to go home and be coddled by her mother and sister, but she knew she had too. Caroline was probably freaking out and their mother more so.

When she did get home, Callie was thankful that Caroline decided not to show how angry she was that Callie had fled and instead gave her a long, tight hug before going to her room to give Bonnie and Elena a "She's Home" call. Her mother followed Caroline's example and just sent Callie to bed with a hug and a kiss on the head.

* * *

Despite her mother's insistence that she stay home from school the next day, Callie went anyway.

It was hard; she had laid in her bed for almost an hour, debating on whether or not what she would go through at school was even worth getting up for, but- in the end- got up and, just like every day since school had started, dressed in a cheery outfit that Caroline had sat out. Today it was an off white kahki skirt, a pair of white sneakers and a light purple high neck sweater with far spaced, thin, white horizontal stripes that was one or two sizes too big. She didn't really have it in her to do anything special to her hair and just brushed it over her right shoulder.

The first thing Jeremy asked when he met her at her locker was as if she was okay and, when she assured him that she was, offered to get them guy who messed with her at the Grill.

"Matt already did," She told him before taking his hand. "But thank you; I honestly don't know how I'd get through this year without you."

"Ditto," The bell rang and Jeremy put an arm around her shoulder. "C'mon, the last thing we need is to be late."

* * *

Thankfully, for Callie, she managed to get through the day. Other than stares, pointing, and whispers from the other students, no one really said anything about what had happened at the Grill that night. Jeremy wasn't exactly fine with how everyone was acting, but it wasn't anything that they hadn't done before. No, in fact, everything that been relatively normal.

Callie and Jeremy went their separate ways after school; Jeremy had to go home for some chores Jenna was forcing on him after finding long forgotten pot in his room and Callie had promised Caroline that she would join the cheerleading squad in order to "Mingle and assert dominance over the other cheerleaders" as Caroline had put it. That meant putting on the uniform Caroline had left for her. Unfortunately, it was a size too small and Callie had no choice but bring out the waist in the skirt.

"Shoot!" She pricked herself...again. The doorbell sounded, saving Callie from pricking herself some more. "Coming!" She called before putting her stinging finger in her mouth. Slipping off the stool, Callie made her way out of the kitchen and to the living room, looking down at her finger which was still bleeding. She didn't know why though, she was sure the needle hadn't gone that far into her finger. Putting those thoughts aside, she continued on to the door. The curtain was down over the window so she could just barely make out the long dark hair. Thinking it was Elena, she didn't bothering pulling aside the curtain before opening the door.

It wasn't Elena. "Hey," Anna gave her a small smile. "It's Anna, if you don't remember-"

"I remember," Callie told her. "What are you doing at my house- how did you even know where I lived?"

"Long story short; I asked around." She answered. "Everyone seemed to know where the Sheriff lives." There was an awkward bout of silence before Anna spoke again. "I was, um...I was worried." She said. "After what happened at the Grill, I haven't really seen you and I...not to be insensitive, but I was wondering what that was all about?"

With her only options being to tell Anna the truth or shut the door in her face, Callie stepped aside. "Come in," She invited. She noticed the very slight hesitance in Anna's posture as she stepped through the doorway and into the house. "Can I get you anything? Water? Soda?" Anna shook her head. Sighing, Callie gestured for Anna to sit down. "Give me a second," She requested before leaving the room. Going to her fathers old study, Callie went into the top drawer of the filing cabinet and pulled out the newspaper she knew was there; Caroline had told her all about how their mother had gone over it a hundred times trying to make just a little sense about what happened that night. Closing the drawer, Callie went back into the living room and found Anna right where she left her.

"This is it," Callie said, sitting down next to the her and handing over the newspaper. "This is what all the fighting at the Grill was about."

Anna took it hesitantly before reading the headline. " _Family dies in Mountain Lion Attack, Sheriff's Daughter Cries Wolf_?"

"My best friend was a girl from my school named Sasha; she and her parents moved here to Mystic Falls when we were both five and we just...clicked, I guess." Callie looked at the photo of Sasha and her parents on the front of the newspaper sadly. "When I was thirteen, Sasha's parents planned to take her camping; my dad used to take me and Caroline all the time before he and my mom divorced and Sasha knew how much I loved it so she begged her parents and I begged my mom to let me go. We weren't supposed to go until Saturday, but Sasha's dad got an extra couple of days off work so they extended the trip for a few dads...my mom even let me skip school on Friday so we could stay out all weekend."

"What happened?"

"It was a mountain lion," Callie told her. "Sasha had wandered off during the night for a reason I still haven't been able to figure out. When I found her gone, I went to go look for her and I found her..." She swallowed. "When I found her she was dead. Something came out of the trees and I ran back to camp, but it must've been there when I was out looking for Sasha because when I got back-" She cleared her throat, trying not to cry. "When I got back, the campsite was destroyed and there was blood everywhere. The mountain lion chased me and I hid in a car. I stayed in there all night until the sun came up and when it did, I got out and tried to make my way back into town, but...but we were too far out; I just got even more lost."

"...How long were you out there?"

Callie shrugged. "The attack happened on Saturday night and I wasn't supposed to be back until Tuesday, so no one even knew anything was wrong." To be honest, Callie hadn't known how long sh had been out there before anyone had told her; the attack- mixed in with an understandable amount of hysteria- had disoriented her and she had barely been able to tell right from left when she was going through the woods.

" _'Sheriff's Daughter Cries Wolf'_?" Anna asked.

"Uh," This was the part Callie had wanted to avoid. "After I didn't come home on Tuesday, my mom got worried and sent out search parties, but they didn't find me until Thursday. When I woke up in the hospital, I told them...I said that Sasha was killed by a werewolf."

Callie could see the shock and surprise on Anna's face. "A werewolf?"

"I know now that I was just seeing things," Callie shook her head. "It only took two and a half years of being in a psychiatric facility, but I now that it was just my childish mind making things up."

But Anna didn't seem interested in her explanation. "Why would you think it was a werewolf?" She asked. "What did it look like? What did you see?"

"I didn't see anything!" Callie practically yelled as she stood up and took a few steps away from the couch. "I didn't see a wolf! I just made it up in my-" She turned around and gasped when she saw that Anna was right behind her. Now they were face to face.

" _Tell me what you saw!_ " Anna ordered. Were her pupils getting bigger? "What you really saw; not what the paper says and not what the doctors said. _Tell me what you saw!_ "

Callie didn't know why, but she did. "I saw a man come out of the trees," She said. "He was naked and covered in blood. He told me to run and then all of his bones started breaking, one by one and I heard every one of them. Then he looked at me and...and his eyes were yellow. I ran back to the campsite and it was destroyed, then I saw a wolf was following me; I didn't see him turn into it, but I know it was him! I know it was that man from before! It was him! He was a werewolf!"

"Callie?!" Whirling around, Callie saw her mother standing at the door.

* * *

A/N;

Sorry about the short chapter! I'm so so sorry, but I needed to give you guys something!

Chapter Fic Rec;

Contrast by: Coffeecatninja (Sons Of Anarchy)

The two most rebellious things awkward 24-year-old Juno has ever done in her life is wear sweats to her sister's wedding and apply for a job as prison nurse against her parent's wishes. It all starts with a burger after she meets one certain tattooed member of the club, and she has no idea the turn her life's about to take.


	6. Team Pt 1

_Look at me. You think that I'm tryin' to fight ya, but I'll always be on your side, yeah. Oh, oh..._

\- Team, Noah Cyrus & MAX

* * *

"I can't believe she didn't send you away," Jeremy admitted. "Well...back-to-the-nut-house away."

It had been less than a week ago that her mother had walked on the conversation/freak out that Callie had with Anna. Liz hadn't been pleased, but she hadn't immediately said "Back to Blue Meadow" which had given Callie just a glimmer of hope that she wouldn't overreact. Thankfully, no phone call to the dreaded hospital been made and there were no men who showed up out of nowhere to drag her out of the house.

Instead of sending her back to Blue Meadow, Liz had suggested that Callie leave Mystic Falls for a bit to live stay with her father. It hadn't been a suggestion so much as an order, but Callie wasn't complaining. She and Caroline were supposed to go see their father for his boyfriend's daughter's birthday like Caroline had done the previous year, so she simply thought of it as moving the trip up. Her mom hadn't specified how long "a bit" was supposed to be, but Callie was sure that she was looking at months rather than weeks.

Callie sighed. "So am I, but I'm glad she didn't. I think she thinks I was serious about that whole "living with my dad" threat I made when Elena narc'd on us. I mean, I didn't want to go back to Blue Meadow, but there was no way I was moving to a town called Darkness Falls." Jeremy laughed with her. "So, what's been going on at home?" She asked. "What'd I miss?"

Jeremy's mood shifted. "There was another animal attack,"

"Who?"

"Mr. Tanner," Callie couldn't help but feel bad; Mr. Tanner wasn't anyone's favorite teacher, but he didn't deserve to die. She couldn't help but think of his mother, Marilyn; she was a sweet old lady who had always been nice to everyone in town. When they were kids, she paid Matt to rake her lawn despite the fact that her son was around to do it and she always bought cookies from Callie and Caroline when they had both been Fireside Girls. Without her son, she had nobody left after the death of her husband.

"Have you gone to see Mrs. Marilyn?" Callie asked.

"I tried to, but she's not answering the door for anyone," Jeremy explained. "The Fells even asked your mom to go to her house to do a wellness check." Callie scoffed.

"I doubt they actually care," She expressed. "They're only pretending like they do because it'll look bad if they don't." She let out a breath. "I'm gonna see if my mom'll send some flowers for me. I know it won't really help, but I feel bad not doing something."

"You're two hundred miles, away, Cal." Jeremy pointed out. "But, if it means so much to you, I'll drop off the flowers myself."

Callie smiled at him through the screen. "You, Jeremy Margaret Gilbert-"

"Not my middle name-"

"Are the best friend a girl could ask for." Jeremy's attention was caught by something off camera. Callie couldn't help but hear the voice called out " _Jeremy"_ in a whiny voice. "Is someone ther-"

"Gotta go," He interrupted. "I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye!" Then he logged off. _"That wasn't weird at all,"_ Callie thought to herself as she closed the laptop.

"Jeremy!" Closing his laptop, Jeremy looked towards where Vicki was trudging into his room from the bathroom with a pout on her face. "They're not working,"

"Give it a little time," He insisted. "I've given you as much as I can without risking you OD'ing." She climbed on his bed and he just nearly moved his laptop before she pushed it onto the floor.

"Well, how 'bout some pot?" She asked. "I know you have some; Little Miss Crazy hasn't changed you that much-"

"Don't call her that," Jeremy snapped immediately. "Don't ever call her that."

Vicki huffed. "I'm sorry," She apologized insincerely. "I'm just really irritated, waiting for these pills to kick in. So," Crawling up the bed, she planted a kiss on his shoulder. "How about some pot?" She kissed him on the neck and then the cheek. "...Please?" She kissed him one last him on the lips and he sighed before getting up. Vicki smiled. "And this is why you are soooo much better than Tyler."

"Yeah, sure."

* * *

"What's for dinner, Calico?" Callie heard right before the back door opened. Turning, she saw her father- Bill- enter the kitchen with his boyfriend Steven and Steven's daughter, Alissa, trailing behind.

Callie didn't exactly know what to make to Steven; when she had been only thirteen- and Caroline a freshman in high school- her parents had been fighting constantly over everything; money, how to raise Callie and Caroline, their jobs- but, mostly, over a man named Steven. Callie had been devastated, thinking her mother was having an affair and their family would be destroyed by the same thing that had claimed so many others; infidelity. It wasn't until after she was sent to Blue Meadow that Callie learned it had been her father who had been having the affair and- deep down- she knew that her mother insisting on sending her to a mental hospital had been one of the main reasons that her parents divorced.

Because of all of that, Callie couldn't help but hold resentment against the man who could- someday- become her stepfather. She had met him only twice before coming to Darkness Creek- yes, that was the name of her father's new home. Both times had been in Blue Meadows common room. She hadn't spoken a word to him the first time, but the second time she had told him exactly how she felt about him and the relationship he and her father shared. Her doctor had insisted that Steven not come back to the hospital again and he didn't. Callie knew knew that it hurt her father that she had treated Steven that way, but the worst part had been how Callie had felt about herself afterwards; she had felt like she was a bad person- putting her spite and pettiness above her father's happiness- and it had made her feel ugly and twisted on the inside which was why she had apologized to him the first chance she got and promised to give him a fair chance. That was easier said than done. Allisa was nothing thing entirely.

She and Callie had only met once and that meeting just so happened to coincide with when Callie had basically called Steven a "Disgusting Homewrecker", so they hadn't exactly gotten off to the right start. Alissa had been the same age as Caroline at the time (just barely fifteen), so she hadn't attacked Callie like they both knew she had wanted to at the time. Thankfully, the almost three years that they had spent apart had made Alissa slightly sympathetic to what Callie had been going through and what emotions she had been experiencing at the time. Well, that and the talk Callie had heard Steven giving her after she had given the younger girl the cold shoulder her first two days in Darkness Creek.

Now, she was at least trying to be friendly; she had even given Callie permission to use her laptop to talk to Jeremy.

"Garlic shrimp linguine," Callie answered as she carried the pot of linguine to the sink to strain it. "And cheesecake for desert."

"Wow," Bill commented as he shrugged off his jacket. "That Easy Bake oven your mom and I forced Caroline to give you really paid off, didn't it?"

"Hey, don't joke!" Callie told him. "You'd be surprised what I made in that Easy Bake oven."

"Oh, I know exactly what you made in that Easy Bake oven," He insisted. "You don't still think that your mom and I actually believed you when you said that Jeremy Gilbert gave you cooties in second grade, do you?"

Callie shrugged. "To be fair, he could've-"

"No, he couldn't have." Bill denied before looking to Steven. "She got salmonella poisoning from trying to cook raw chicken in the Easy Bake oven."

Callie gave him a look. "You're mean."

"You'll get used it it." Allisa promised. She stopped beside Callie and pulled the lid off of the pan that held the shrimp and garlic sauce and tried to snatch a piece, but Callie was quicker and smacked her hand with a large wooden spoon. "Ow!"

"Huh," She looked at the spoon in appreciation before looking to her dad. "Now I know how Grandma felt every time she hit me and Caroline with one of these."

Dinner was a simple affair, with everyone complimenting Callie on her newfound culinary skills. Steven talked about his day at the law firm he looked at- "There was one lady who tried to pay me in muffins, but I told her that the firm would never allow it." Alissa hadn't even hesitated before asking where the muffins were. "Gone, I ate them all as soon as she gave them to me."- and Alissa told their dad's about how Callie had embarrassed herself in school earlier that day- "She walked right into the boys locker room and the next thing you know, she's screaming and running out with her hands over her eyes!"- and Callie's father talked about how he had forced himself to allow his boss to beat him in a game of golf. "It's not letting him beat you if you don't know how to play." Steven pointed out. "I gave you a set of golf clubs for Christmas last year. You used them once and they've been collecting dust in the garage ever since." Overall, it was strangely...normal. More normal than Callie had been expecting it to be. She'd be lying if she said it didn't make her a little upset that her father couldn't do the same with his actual family.

After dinner was over, Bill and Steven migrated to the living room while Callie and Alissa went to their respective bedrooms. Callie had immediately got started on her homework, but couldn't help but check her phone (which she had, conveniently, forgotten to tell her mother about and turn in before leaving Mystic Falls) for any messages from Jeremy, but there was nothing new after the text he sent her during school to complain about said institution.

"Hey," Callie looked up from her phone to see Alissa leaning in her doorway. Once she was certain that Callie was looking, she toss something that the younger blonde just barely managed to catch. A set of keys. "Your dad mentioned that your mom won't let you learn how to drive yet, so he asked me to teach you while you're here."

"Seriously?" Callie had been annoyed at the ridiculous amount of restrictions that had been set and had been especially upset at learning that one of them was not being able to get her learners permit. Caroline had been equally upset that she couldn't teach Callie to drive like she had planned when she was fifteen and got her own.

Alissa nodded. "We can start right now; there's still about an hour of daylight left. What do you say?"

* * *

"You are a horrible driver!" Alissa practically yelled as Callie screeched to a stop.

Alissa had been slightly surprised when Callie informed her that she hadn't been her first driving teacher. The fifteen year old, however, had decided to leave out the fact that her first driving instructor had been one of her fellow patients in Blue Meadow; he had swiped their therapist's car keys and snuck out of a window that night so he could teach her. They had plans to drive to a McDonalds- plans which were derailed when a very angry Dr. Anderson came running out of the building with the security guard following after. A call to Liz had been made and she had her common room rights revoked for about a month while her partner in crime had been kicked out of Blue Meadow as the hijacking of Dr. Anderson's car had been his fifth offense.

Alissa had gotten permission to teach Callie to drive in Bill's blue 1964 Buick Skylark convertible. Callie's father was, by no means, enough of a car guy to drive around such an old car, but it had belonged to his father, so he kept it around. It had also been his gift to Caroline for her sixteenth birthday, but she hadn't exactly cared much for the sentimentality it held.

"What do you mean?" Callie asked as she put the car in park. "I got over the bridge in less than half a minute."

"That's not a good thing!" Alissa yelled. "Who taught you how to drive? No- you know what? Get out."

"What?"

"Get out!" Alissa ordered as she pulled off her seat belt. "I'm driving us home-"

"I thought you were teaching me how to drive?!"

"That was before I realized that you were the reincarnation of Evel Knievel! Now out!" With a defeated sigh, Callie unbuckled her seat belt and slid over to the other side of the car. Once Alissa was in, she took the car out of park and began the drive back home. After a few moments of silence, Callie spoke up.

"So..." She began. "Can I drive to school tomorrow?"

"Absolutely not," Alissa answered quickly. Callie nodded. She had been expecting that.

* * *

The next day at school was a bit of a regular one for Callie; she attended her morning classes (Spanish, History, & English) and then spent her free period in the quad where most students spent their time out of class. Today was a good day; while it was kind of windy, the sun was still shining and Callie managed to get a table all to herself. She and Alissa had the same free period, but Alissa usually spent it with her cheerleader friends. Much like Caroline, Alissa was the captain of her school's cheerleading squad. They had a lot in common which was strange considering they didn't like each other.

She was writing out the word 'connotation' on an index card when a voice spoke from behind her.

"Everything a word suggests or implies," A voice said and Callie couldn't help but jump as she turned around to see a boy standing behind her. He was on the taller side with dark brown hair, matching eyes covered by wide circular Harry Potter-like glasses, and lightly tanned skin. He wore a dingy white long sleeve shirt underneath his hoodie and a pair of ripped jeans that Callie knew probably cost more than her entire outfit. She also couldn't help but notice that he was very...nice looking. "Or, the feeling a word gives you, depending on which definition you want to go with. I'm Jonah," He introduced.

"...Callie," She replied. He was just standing there now, not saying or doing anything else and it was weirding Callie out a bit. She was just about to turn back to what she was doing when he spoke. "Are you making flash cards to study with?"

"Yeah," She nodded noting that he didn't ask before sitting down. "But they're not for me. My friend- Jeremy- he's got an important test tomorrow and he can't fail it if he wants to have a passable grade in English."

"That's cool of you," He nodded. "Is this his free period, too?"

"He actually goes to a different school...in a different town." Why was Callie even still talking to him? "I'm from Mystic Falls."

"Your Mr. Forbes' daughter." Callie stilled and looked at him. How did he know her dad? "He's my mom's lawyer." Jonah explained. "My mom's a talker and he mentioned that his daughter was visiting from Mystic Falls. How long are you going to be here?"

"Not too long," Callie answered. "I'm just here until the end of the month." And what a slow month it was; she loved her father- she really did- but Callie missed Caroline and her mom and Jeremy- hell, she was even beginning to miss Dr. Murphy and his undeniable trustworthy vibe. Deciding to ask some questions of her own once it became apparent that Jonah wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon, Callie asked; "How long have you lived in Darkness Falls?"

Jonah shrugged. "Only about a year. My mom doesn't like to stay in the same place for long. We actually might be moving again soon if my dad-" Their conversation, however, was cut short as Alissa approached their table, splitting away from her friends with a few waves. She instantly noticed Jonah.

"...Hi," She greeted warily before looking to Callie. "Who's this?"

"This is Jonah," She introduced and he gave a little wave and a smile that didn't quite sit well with Alissa- not that Callie noticed. " Jonah, this is my step-sister Alissa." Alissa didn't give any other greetings as she stood there, staring at Jonah.

"Are you new here, too?" She asked and Jonah shook his head.

"I've been here for about a year,"

"That's funny, becasue Darkness Falls is a very small town and I've never seen you around before," Alissa pointed out. Callie was oblivious to their back and forth as she continued making her flash cards; she took her calligraphy very seriously.

Jonah flashed her a charming smile. "I prefer to stay in the background,"

Alissa wasn't buying it, but didn't say anything, instead letting out a low, "Hmm..." Looking down at Callie, Alissa looked at her watch. "Don't you think you should be going? Mrs. Winter's class is on the other side of the building." Callie had plenty of time to get there, but Alissa wanted her away from this Jonah kid. What kind of person goes unnoticed in a town with a population of less than a thousand for over a year? Not to mention the fact that the mayor made a major deal whenever someone new moved to town.

Not even bothering to look at her watch for confirmation of the time, Callie began putting away her things. "I'll see you later," She told Alissa before looking to Jonah. "See you around,"

"Actually," He said quickly as he stood and grabbed her back pack before she could. "I've got Mrs. Winter's for forth period, too; I'll walk you." Well, that was an improvement from his earlier self, Callie thought as she stood. Giving a small wave to Alissa, she joined Jonah as he headed into school.

"Well, that backfired." Alissa huffed. As if hearing her, Jonah looked over his shoulder at her and gave her a small smirk. Alissa narrowed her eyes as they disappeared into the building. _'It's fine,'_ She thought. _'After today, I can keep Callie away from that asshole,'_

Or, at least, she thought. That was before she learned that she would be giving Jonah a ride to their house after school as he was conveniently failing math. After that, he conveniently got a call from his mother (that no-one else witnessed) who told him that she would be working late, so Callie- being the adorably naive and generous girl she was- asked their dad's if he could stay for dinner. Alissa watched the entire time as he joked with their dad and asked so many questions about them and their lives without giving any answers about his own. Bill and her father didn't think twice as he expertly avoided giving any actual answers to any of the questions asked of him, but Alissa was onto him and...whatever he was doing.

Over the next two weeks while Callie was in Darkness Falls, Jonah was practically stuck to her side; he was in almost all of her classes, he took up all of Callie's time during her free period and Jonah was a regular fixture in their home after school and on the weekends. When Alissa- very subtly- tried to tell him back off by asking if his mother needed him at home, Jonah had a answered prepared; saying that his mother worked most nights and weekends and spent a lot of time out of town.

It's not that Alissa was jealous that Jonah was taking up the time she was supposed to be spending with Callie (which, if she was being honest, she was...a little), it was that she didn't like the way that Jonah acted or treated her step-sister; he was possessive, guilt tripping Callie into spending time with him when she was supposed to be doing other things like the driving lessons Alissa was giving her or video chatting with her friend back in Mystic Falls. Not to mention that Jonah was an asshole; he critized Callie's clothing choices, the way she did her hair- even comparing her to a prostitute in one instance. The only reason Callie put up with it was because Jonah would laugh or play it off as a joke if she got angry, but Alissa wasn't Callie and she refused to let her put up with an asshole like Jonah Carson.

"You need to back off." Alissa had told him one day during the last week of Callie's stay. The aforementioned girl was in Study Hall helping a girl that Alissa had paid to ask her for help, which meant that this was just about her only chance to talk to Jonah one-on-one.

"Excuse me?" Jonah asked, seemingly confused. Alissa hated that he looked so innocent and gentle when she knew it was all a facade.

"You heard me," She said, refusing to back down. "I'm tired of the way you treat Callie; she is the sweetest, most innocent, and most gentle girl that I've ever known and you're hurting her with your criticisms and backhanded comments. She is fragile and you're going to break her."

"She is fragile," Jonah agreed. "Which is why the best thing for her right now is a friend."

"I'm her sister," Alissa pointed out. "I think I know what's best for her."

Jonah just smirked at her. "Callie's a big girl," He insisted. "I'm pretty sure that she can decide for herself what's best."

"Yeah, well, this is Callie's last week in Darkness Falls," She told him. "So, in a week, she'll be gone and safe from douche-bag assholes like you." And then she left, saying nothing else.

Jonah watch as she headed back into school, intercepting Callie as she came into the quad. She looked over as Jonah and he gave her a little wave just as Alissa turned to him. "We'll see about that," He said to himself ass Alissa pulled her sister away.

* * *

"Oh, I missed you _soooo_ much!" Caroline exclaimed as she pulled Callie into a tight hug. They had been apart for over a month and Caroline had missed her sister more than she thought she would; she had, after all, gone without Callie for over two years. She assumed that a month would've been nothing compared to that, but it had felt so much longer. "How was dad's?" She asked. "Was it unbearable without me?

"Of course," Callie lied as Caroline pulled away. They each grabbed one of her bags before heading inside to the house. Because both of their parents and Steven worked so much, Callie had taken a cab home. It hadn't been cheap, but their dad had more than enough money to cover it. "Was it unbearable here without me?"

"Is that even a question?" Caroline asked as they entered the house. Closing the door, Caroline dropped the suitcase before pulling out her phone. "Oh, crap."

"What is it?" Callie asked.

"Don't hate me," Caroline pleaded. "But I forgot I had a meeting with the homecoming committee." As the president, Caroline was in charge of just about every event that happened at the school- not excluding the Halloween dance that would take place in less than two weeks.

"It's fine," Callie said. Caroline raised an eyebrow. "Go," She insisted, shooing Caroline away with her hand. "Go be homecoming president barbie; I'll go over to Jeremy's until you're done."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," Callie insisted again.

"Let me at least give you a ride," Caroline said forcing Callie to drop her bag. "We can put your stuff away later while we talk about how horrible a month away from me was."

"What makes you think that you're what I missed?" Callie asked as Caroline opened the door.

"Because I know it wasn't mom's cooking." Caroline said and they both giggled at her childish joke as they left the house.

* * *

Once Caroline dropped her off, Callie went straight up to the door of the Gilbert house and knocked. At first, no one answered and she was starting to think that no one was home. She knocked once more, but again there was no answer.

Leaving the porch, Callie went around the house to the back door. She had just raised her hand to knock on the door when it suddenly opened, revealing Elena. They were both surprised/startled at seeing one another.

"Callie," The brunette breathed, looking behind her into the house before turning back to the younger girl. "I thought that you were out of town with your dad?"

"I was," Callie nodded. "And now I'm back. Caroline has a meeting with the homecoming committee and our mom is working, so I figured I'd hang out with Jeremy a little while. Is he here?"

"Up in his room," Elena stepped back to Callie could enter. "I was just on my way out and Jenna's at class, so-"

"Don't worry," Callie rolled her eyes as she went through the kitchen. "There won't be any lighting up, this time. Scouts honor." Without waiting for a reply from Elena, Callie made her way through the dining and living rooms before making her way upstairs. She went straight to Jeremy's door and made sure to knock; there had only been one time she hadn't knocked before entering his bedroom and caught her friend in the middle of getting dressed after a shower.

"Go away, Elena." Grinning, Callie knocked again. She could the exasperation in his voice when he spoke again. "Elena, I'm not in the mood for-" The door opened and Jeremy stopped mid sentence as his eyes fell upon his friend. "Callie,"

"I know said I we wouldn't see each other until the day after I came home," Callie began, entering the room. "But Caroline had meeting with the homecoming committee and we both know how she gets when everything isn't done the exact way she wants it." Stopping in front of his bed, Callie turned around with a strange look on her face. "What's that smell?"

"What smell?" Jeremy questioned, moving past her to get to the ashtray before she saw the joint ends inside- not to mention the little baggie of pills next to it.

"That smell," Callie said, gesturing around the entire room. "I've smelled it before, but I can't really place it. What are you doing?" Shoving the ashtray and pills in the drawer of his nightstand, Jeremy turned around to see Callie looking at him.

"Nothing," He shook his head. "Look, it's your first night home. We should do something,"

"I just wanted to spend some time with my best friend," Callie insisted. "We don't need to do anything special."

"We're best friends who haven't seen each other in a month, of course we should do something special." In truth, Jeremy just wanted to get Callie out of his house- well his room. The last thing he needed was for her to find out he had slipped back into old habits. "C'mon," Putting his hand on the small of her back, he began to lead her out of his room. "We'll go to the Grill and we'll order one of everything on the menu- just like we always wanted to do when we were kids."

"Jeremy, there's no way we can eat that much food." Callie pointed out as they went down the hall.

"Even if we can't, I know I can eat more than you." Jeremy insisted as he passed her and started down the stairs.

"Oh, you are on, Gilbert."

* * *

Callie was glad to be home- she really was. Of course, she had loved spending some quality time with her dad for the first time in almost three year- and she had even enjoyed Alissa and Steven's company- but she had missed her mother, Caroline and Jeremy. Things at school were going well with mostly everyone having forgotten what had happened at the Grill over a month ago- although Caroline had told her that Matt (as quarterback and technical captain of the football team) was still being very hard on everyone involved. It was almost perfect...almost.

However, despite all of her attempts, Callie couldn't ignore the fact that the Jeremy she had left was not the Jeremy she had come back to. He was acting beyond weird; he was acting paranoid, he was way over-protective when it came to his thing (nearly biting Callie's head off when she tried to get a pencil out of his backpack during lunch at school), and he was always cancelling their plans at the last moment or just not showing up and he was always disappearing for a couple of hours at a time and offering not explanation to her, Elena, or Jenna whenever they brought it up.

Kind of like today; he and Callie had made plans to hang out at the Grill after school. She waited almost an hour for him before accepting that he bailed on her like most of their other plans. Except this time, she wasn't just going to go home and mope about it; she was going to go find him.

After dropping her stuff at home, she had gone through her mothers drawers and found the phone that she had handed over before going to her dads. It didn't have any service, but it would still make an emergency call to 911 if Callie needed it to.

Callie looked all over; of course, she started at his house and then all of their usual hangs before branching out to areas she would never even think about going to as it got later and later in the day; the now abandoned Fells Church, the Falls (which took a ridiculously long time to get to, even with Caroline's old bike), and, lastly, the old graveyard. Callie knew it was a crime scene from an apparent drug deal gone bad which resulted in the deaths of several people, but she knew that Jeremy used to hang out with Vicky Donovan and her friends there back in his pill popping days.

Leaving her bike at the entrance, she ducked underneath the police tape before turning on the flashlight on her phone and continuing on. There were dozens of old graves from the 1800s, so it took awhile to navigate through them all before she found her way to the only masoleum belonging to- surprise, surprise- the Lockwood family. There was more police tape up, but Callie didn't even have to go under it before she found who she was looking for. Unfortunately, he wasn't alone.

"Jeremy!" She called and both figures looked over to her as she approached them, worry and anger clear in her voice.

"Callie?" Jeremy questioned, dropping his hand from where he handed the other man his ID. "What are you doing here? You're not su-"

"Supposed to be here?" She finished. "Yeah, neither are you! We're _both_ supposed to be at the Grill, remember?"

"Yes, I remember," Jeremy said, his eyes flashing between Callie and his companion who seemed to be getting suspicious and agitated. "Look, I was going to go to the Grill-"

"What?" Callie questioned. "After you got your fix here at the graveyard- which just so happens to be a crime scene?!"

"I know!" Jeremy yelled before quieting. Taking Callie by the arm, he pulled her a few feet away. "Look, you need to leave-"

"What the hell is going on here?" Callie and Jeremy both turned to see his companion had reached his limit. He was shifty and his hand was reaching into his pocket. "Did you set me up?!" He demanded. Callie wasn't even sure why he assumed he was being set up, but realized he may not have been completely in his right mind as he pulled out a pocket knife. He flicked it out, lunging at them before they could even get a word out and Callie scream as the blade went right into Jeremy's side.

"Jeremy!" Callie grabbed him, but he was too heavy for her to hold up. She was barely able to notice that the dealer began running as fast as he could out of the graveyard. "Jeremy?! Jeremy, are you okay?!" He was breathing far too fast as his hands went to his wound and tried to put pressure on it. "Move," Callie ordered, moving around to his side as she pulled off her sweater. Balling it up, she pressed it again his cut and he yelled in pain. "I'm sorry!" She apologized. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Here, you have to..." Taking his hands, she put them on her sweater. "Hold this. I'm gonna...I'm gonna..." With fumbling hands, Callie reached for the phone she dropped when she grabbed Jeremy and exited out of the flashlight before trying to dial 911. It took a few tries as the blood on her fingers wouldn't allow her to press on the screen, but she did it. "Hold on, Jeremy." She said, putting her free hand on top of his as the line ringed. "You're gonna be okay- you're gonna be okay, I promise."

* * *

When Jeremy opened his eyes, he immediately wished he hadn't. The bright lights around him assaulted them and he instantly squeezed them closed with a groan which was loud enough for those in the room to know that he was awake.

"Jeremy?!" Opening his eyes a bit, he was able to see as both Jenna and Elena rushed over to him. "Jeremy?!"

"Where am I?" He asked, his voice sounding groggy.

"You're in the hospital," Jenna told him as he tried to pull himself up. He let out a his and Jenna's hand flashed to his shoulder to still him. "Don't move," She ordered. "You're still healing."

"What happened?" He asked, his mind drawing a blank as he tried to remember. He could only recall a little bit; Callie, the graveyard...something about the Grill. Callie had been angry.

"You got stabbed," Elena told him. "Callie said that you guys got mugged and the guy pulled a knife on you two." No, that wasn't right; he had been...he had been buying drugs and the dealer got jittery and stabbed him when Callie showed up. Why had she lied?

The two women were oblivious to his confusion as Jenna asked, "What were you even doing near the old graveyard? It's a crime scene, Jeremy- the Sheriff told everyone to stay away from there." Whatever reason Callie had for lying, Jeremy knew it was good, so he wasn't going to contradict her story.

"We wanted to go to the Falls," He lied. "But I didn't want to go over the bridge... I'm sorry-"

"Don't be," Elena interrupted. That little bit about the bridge had hurt him to say, but he knew it'd get them to stop questioning him about it. "We just...we're just happy you're okay."

Jeremy looked around the room, surprised to see that his friend wasn't in attendance. "Where's Callie?"

"Down at the station." Jenna answered. "They found the guy that hurt you and Sheriff Forbes needed Callie to ID him and make a statement." She let out a breath as she ran of her hands through his hair. "I'm so glad you're okay. If Callie hadn't called for help when she did-"

"But she did," Jeremy pointed out. "I'm okay, Jenna." For now. He couldn't speak for once Callie got ahold of him.

* * *

"Elena says Jeremy's out of surgery," Caroline said as she exited her mothers office with Callie right behind here. When their mother had called her while she was hanging out with Bonnie and told her what happened, Caroline hadn't hesitated to rush to the station- not before going home and grabbing a shirt for Callie to replace the one that was now messy with Jeremy's blood in an evidence bag. Bonnie had followed Caroline to see Callie and make sure she was alright before heading to the hospital to be there for Elena. Callie had wanted to go to, but had been forced to stay and give a statement- which was basically a giant lie as she didn't want to narc on Jeremy. "She didn't say if he was awake yet, though. Do you want to go see him?"

"Yeah, of course," Callie nodded before her eyes shifted away from Caroline and to the holding cell where Jeremy's attacker paced. There weren't many deputies around and the ones who were paid no attention to their detainee. "Why don't you go get your car and I'll meet you outside?" Callie smiled, hoping that her sister wouldn't question her request. Thankfully, she didn't; she just put a hand on Callie's arm before walking past her towards the doors. Callie watched her until she left before making her way over to the holding cell. The dealer stood in the middle of the cell, watching her warily. Callie could tell that he was coming down from whatever high he had been on in the graveyard- having seen plenty of the people do the same as they detoxed at Blue Meadow. Of course, she hadn't supposed to be anywhere near the detoxing patients when she was there, but what the doctors didn't know hadn't hurt them.

"What d'you want?" He sniffed, swiping at his nose with his knuckle.

"You stabbed my friend," She reminded him. "Now he's in the hospital- he could've died-"

"I didn't mean to do that, I swear!" He exclaimed, rushing to the bars and Callie shushed him as she looked around. Thankfully, many of the surrounding deputies were too preoccupied with what they were doing to notice them. When she turned back to the dealer, Callie slowly began to see him from what he really was; some strung out high school drop-out. She realized that he probably hadn't even planned on dealing when he went to the graveyard. "I wouldn't do that- I didn't want to do that! I was just...I was tripping so hard, man."

"I know," Callie soothed as she reached through the bars and took her hands. He hadn't expected that, but he didn't pull away. "I know that you didn't mean to. It was an accident," He nodded. "I understand..."

 _"You'll understand," The pupil of the green eyes dilated._

"...and I forgive you,"

" _"And you'll forgive..."_

The dealer looked relieved. "And you'll tell the Sheriff, right?" He asked, desperately. "You'll tell her I didn't mean to do it?"

Callie nodded. "Of course, I will," She insisted. "But I need you to do something for me first."

"Anything," The dealer nodded. "Just tell the Sheriff that it was an accident and I'll do anything."

"I need you to tell me where your bag is," Callie told him and he looked confused. "I'm trying to help you; right now, you're looking at assault with a deadly weapon on a minor and you can go away for that for anywhere from two years to thirty," The guy looked devastated as he let go of Callie's hands and began pacing as he started to panic. "But if they found your bag with your drugs and my friend's ID in it, they'll know that I lied and said you mugged us. They'll add on possession with intent to distribute- and it'll be really bad when they find out that you were planning to sell it to the sixteen year old you stabbed-"

"Oh, my God..."

"But!" Callie interrupted, trying to loud enough that he'd hear her, but quiet enough that the deputies wouldn't. "But, if I get the bag first, I can get rid of it and they'll never know...what do you say?"

* * *

After the guy confessed that he had thrown his bag into the dumpster behind the Grill when the cops caught him, Callie had gotten Caroline to drive her there before going to the hospital under the guise of having left her math book. After sneaking out through the back door, she went to the dumpster and found the bag hanging halfway out. Letting out a thankful breath that no one else had found it first, Callie dug through the bag and quickly before finding Jeremy's ID. Pocketing it, she dumped the contents of the bag into the dumpster before throwing it off to the side. Having fulfilled her promise to the dealer, Callie freshened up in the Grill's bathroom before allowing Caroline to drive her to the hospital.

Elena and Bonnie were waiting for them in the waiting room and Caroline quickly pulled her friend into a hug. "Oh, you poor thing." She said, her voice full of pity, before pulling back. "How's Jeremy?"

"He's awake," Elena nodded. "The doctor said that the knife got him in the kidney, but since he got to the emergency room so fast, he'll be fine. They'll keep him overnight and he'll be on bed rest for at least two weeks to let himself heal. Then he'll have to take it easy for a while afterwards, but he's gonna be okay."

Bonnie smiles as she put a hand on Elena's arm. "Since Jeremy's okay, I managed to convince Elena to leave the hospital and get some coffee that doesn't taste like it came out of somebody's bedpan."

Caroline grimaced. "That bad?"

"Worse," Elena insisted before looking at Callie. "Jenna's taking care of some insurance stuff, but Jeremy's awake, if you want to see him. He's been asking for you,"

"Yeah, I'm gonna go see him now. You guys get out of here, I'll get my mom to come get me later." Caroline and Bonnie started walking towards the door, but Elena stayed behind to talk to Callie.

"You've only been back for a couple of months and you've already saved Jeremy's life twice," Elena pointed out. "Thank you-"

"You don't have to-"

"Yes, I do." Elena insisted. "Jeremy...he's been on the wrong path ever since our parents died and I honestly didn't think he'd ever get back on track, I mean...I tried everything when it came to getting him to care about his future, but no matter how many talks Jenna or I gave, he refused to changed. Then you come along and now he's...he's my little brother again. I mean, he's not the little brother I had before with hims till being mad at me, but I can handle that if it means he's okay..."

"What?" Callie asked, noticing the look on Elena's face.

"Nothing, it's just...I just realized that I never apologized." She pointed out. "For telling your mom about the pot. I mean, I always meant to, but I never actually did it."

"Elena, I already forgave you," Callie pointed out. "If I was still angry about it, I wouldn't have done that. Jeremy's mad now, but he'll come around eventually."

"You mind giving him a little push in that direction?" Elena said it as a joke, but Callie took it seriously.

" _...And you'll forgive..._ "

"Of course,"

* * *

After bidding goodbye to Elena, Callie got on the elevator and went up to the fifth floor where Jeremy's room was. When she entered, he was looking up at the TV, but wasn't actually watching it.

"You look like you're in hell," Callie said as she closed the door, startling him and he looked over as she walked further into the room.

"Jersey Shore's on and I lost the remote," It was quiet as Callie stood beside it bed and Jeremy hated it; one of the best thing about his and Callie's friendship was that there were rarely any silences between them. They always had a free-verse conversation going on between them and practically never ran out of things to talk about. That wasn't the case here, though; they had plenty of things to talk about, but neither of them wanted to start the conversation. "Callie, I-"

"You're my best friend," Callie interrupted softly. Jeremy didn't say anything as she sat down on the edge of his bed. He couldn't help but think she looked way too mature for someone wearing a blue fuzzy sweater and a bunny necklace. "You have been since we were kids; it was always you, me, and Sasha. We were all, kind of, like a hub; it was like we always knew what each other were thinking at any given moment; in school, on the phone, hanging out at the park- always...but these last few days-"

"I know," Jeremy continued. "I've been shutting you out."

"And now I know why," Callie nodded. "I thought we were done with the pills and the lying?"

"We were," Jeremy sighed. "But, then you left," He pointed out. "And I was alone. I don't know if you've noticed Cal, but you're my only friend outside of Jenna- which is pathetic. After you went to stay with your dad, I felt like I didn't have anyone to talk to-"

"We talked every other day!"

"But it was different!" Jeremy reminded. "I'm not saying that it's your fault, because it's not, but having a friend who's sitting right next to you is different from one twenty miles away. You weren't next to me, but Vick-"

"Vick?" Callie asked, catching the name. There was no mistaking who's name it was. "Vicky? As in Vicky Donovan? You told me you stopped hanging around her."

"I did," Jeremy ran a hand through his hair. "But I needed somebody and she was there-"

"She took advantage of you,"

"No, she didn't-"

"Yes, she did." Callie was insistent. "Vicky's nineteen and no exactly a great role model. You're sixteen-"

"It wasn't like that-"

"What would you say if it was me?" Callie asked. "What would you say if vulnerable little fifteen year old Callie Forbes was with someone like Ben McKittrick or Damon Salvatore?" Jeremy didn't have an answer. "There isn't a different just because you're a boy and Vicky's a girl."

It was quiet for a few moments, with only the sound of Pauly D's obnoxious voice sounding from the TV. "I hate it when we argue,"

"...I do, too," Callie said. "But you're not leaving me with any other choice but to argue with you when you do stupid stuff like hang out with Vicky Donovan and drug dealers..." There was more silence.

"...Are you still angry at me?"

Callie shook her head. "Not angry," She sighed. "Just...disappointed...Promise me you won't do it again."

"I promise," Jeremy said immediately.

"Good, because I've already buried one of my best friends," She reminded him. "And I refused to do it again."

"You won't,"

"I know I won't," Callie declared. "Because if I even get an inkling that you're using again I will tell Jenna and Elena exactly what happened today and I will make sure that they send you to rehab. Do you understand?"

Jeremy nodded. "Yeah, but it's not gonna come to that."

"Swear?"

"Swear." Now that she was done berating him and making sure he knew the consequences, Callie leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him.

"I glad you're okay."

* * *

Callie stayed at the hospital with Jeremy until visiting hours were over and then Jenna took her home.

When she entered her house, she put her house keys on the table near the door before making her way her bedroom. She was completely wiped out from the events of the day, but forced herself to showering when she remembered that she had touched a dumpster. Sure, she had washed her hands after, but better safe than sorry. Knowing she didn't have any clean pajamas in her own room, Callie borrowed a nigh dress from Caroline before going into her bedroom. As she Caroline wasn't home yet, she hadn't expected anyone to be in it, which was a valid excuse for the shrieking noise she made when she found someone sitting on her bed.

"What are you doing here?!" She demanded as Anna stood up from the bed. She hadn't spoken to the girl since she got sent to her fathers.

"Your mom let me in," Anna insisted. "I know it's late, but you haven't been home all day and I didn't get a chance to talk to you before you left town. Your sister said that you went to go stay with your dad,"

"What are you doing in my house?" Callie asked again. "It's almost eleven- don't you have a curfew?"

"Not really," Anna shrugged. "I just wanted...I wanted to apologize what happened before you left town. I shouldn't have asked you to tell me that story and I definitely shouldn't have pushed you to tell me what you saw. I was just...intrigued, I guess."

"It's okay," Callie assured her as her guard began going down. "Everyone in town already knows, so I could see why you'd get a little carried away when you're the only one who doesn't."

Anna nodded. "Anyway, I just wanted to come over and apologize and say that I hope we can still be friends?"

"Really?" Callie was surprised. She would've assumed that anyone else would want to distance themselves as far away from the town crazy as much as they could.

Anna nodded again. "When I came to town, you were the first one who actually took the time to reach out to me. My mom always told me that you can't make friends if you don't reach out to anybody- which I didn't, but you did and I appreciate that."

"So...friends?"

"Friends," Anna agreed. "...It's late, I should probably go and let you get back to...sleeping, I guess?" Giving Callie a smile, Anna left the room and Callie heard her feet going down the stairs a few moments later.

"Well," Callie murmured to herself. "That was weird." Deciding not to think about it anymore, Callie went to her bed and got in before turning off her lamp and turning over.

* * *

"Okay, train wreck," Bonnie breathed as she helped Caroline into the house. "This is your stop."

"I want french fries," Caroline laughed as Bonnie kicked the door closed. After leaving the hospital with Elena, the three girls had gone to the Grill to get something when Caroline decided they needed to relax and got the bar to serve them. Elena had only drank two and Bonnie stuck with soda- knowing she'd be the designated driver- but Caroline...Caroline had defeated her personal best and drank eight vodka shots before promptly throwing it all up in the bathroom. After taking Elena home, Bonnie hadn't had another choice, but get her other friend home safely.

"No, you don't." Bonnie insisted, but Caroline wasn't even thinking about the fries anymore.

Pulling away from Bonnie, Caroline stumbled over to the answering machine where she saw that there was a message waiting to be play. "Lets listen to some music!"

"Caroline, that's the answering machine," But the blonde had already pressed the button before Bonnie could stop her.

"Hey, Callie, Caroline. It's mom," Liz Forbes voice sounded. "I've got to go to the hospital and get Jeremy's statement, but I can't get out of here until visiting hours are over, so I might be home a little late. So, Callie, don't wait up for me and, Caroline, I already know you won't be home until after curfew, so make sure Callie's home before you go to bed."

"My mom's psychic!" Caroline gasped as Bonnie pulled her away. "Just like you, Bon-Bon!"

"How many times have I asked you not to call me that?"

Outside the house, Anna watched over it from across the street as she saw the light in Caroline's bedroom go out. Only a few moments later, Bonnie Bennett came out of the house before getting in her car and driving away. As she passed, Anna pulled out a locket from her shirt and took it off before opening up the small gold heart. Inside, a photo of her mother smiled back at her.

"I love you, mama." She said like she did every night. "I promise I'm doing everything and anything I can to get you out of that tomb." Looking back at the Forbes house, Anna snapped the locket closed just as the streetlight above her went out.

* * *

Chapter Fic Rec;

A Vow Without Honor by; BeyondTheHorizonIsHope (Game Of Thrones)

"I made a promise to protect you. Honor or not, that is one I intend to keep." - A story of a Lion and a Wolf, two beings brought together by the very same reasons that should have kept them apart.


End file.
